MUNDARING shire council approved a new memorial policy to provide a framework to formally assess applications for permanent memorials in the area.

During the April 14 ordinary council meeting, a motion was moved by councillor Prapti Mehta who said the policy sent an important message to the Mundaring community that council was supportive during grief.

“This is an important policy because through it we, as a council, can once again display that we are empathetic and we acknowledge the fact that people lose loved ones and they need to remember them,” she said.

Cr Mehta said it formed a foundation to support people’s needs while also providing a system for council to respond to requests safely, and within budget and reason.

“(It provides) a framework so our staff can make decisions on how best to work with someone who has lost a loved one and to help them get what they want,” she said.

“Sometimes that may not be possible but at least we’ll have a framework we can use to make decisions while balancing compassion with responsibility.”

Shire of Mundaring Mayor Paige McNeil also spoke for the policy.

She said the policy was brought to council by Shire of Mundaring built and natural environment director Shane Purdy due to an increased number of requests for memorials in Mundaring.

“Even to provide a park bench with a plaque on it has a considerable cost to it,” she said.

“As Cr Mehta aptly said, there is the maintenance of that bench for its life cycle as well.”

Ms McNeil said roadside memorials were not covered by this new policy and would continue to be regulated based on Main Roads guidelines.

The policy’s scope covers requests for memorials in areas including public open spaces, parks, reserves, trails, ovals, community facilities and roads managed by the shire.

The type of memorials supported are roadside memorials, commemorative furniture and memorial walls.

The Shire of Mundaring mirrors Main Road’s guidelines for roadside memorials with approval to last up to 24 months but may be extended based on family wishes and site suitability.

Commemorative furniture covers park benches with a plaque on it and while the plaque’s supply, installation, maintenance and replacement cost will be covered by the person applying for it, the furniture itself is maintained by shire funds.

Memorial walls in shire cemeteries are another lower cost alternative and will consider applications for plaques only but not ashes.

Historical memorials, such as war memorials, or the naming of places and facilities are not covered by the new policy and continue to be managed under other processes.

Ms McNeil said the policy was now at a financially sustainable and respectful position, thanking shire staff for the work needed to create it.

The policy was passed unanimously.