Regional or Joint Cemetery Shared Service Investigation

Xyst prepared a report exploring existing examples of shared cemetery facilities within New Zealand and Australia and discussed the benefits and challenges relevant to the client and their District. The report also provides a high-level breakdown of each surrounding local authority’s current position and an overall conclusion.

Manakau Cemetery Plot Identification

Manakau Cemetery

Xyst supplied Horowhenua District Council with an accurate detailed plot schedule of whom is buried in each plot and identified where adjustments need to be made to create a one source of accurate information. Xyst supplied Horowhenua with a report on recommendations that align with best practices on the process from Booking to Interment

Cemetery Capacity Investigation – Future Planning

Porirua Cemetery Capacity Review

We worked with Porirua City Council to understand their existing cemetery capacity and the future space required, to ensure Council can provide interment options for the next 30 years. Xyst considered a wide range of factors, including future utilisation of the existing land, to ensure it could be used to its full potential. The report […]

Cemetery Concept Plans and Capacity Analysis

Xyst undertook site analysis with key staff, an assessment of the statutory framework, a two-stage public engagement process, mana whenua engagement, and community board and council engagement in order to understand the cemetery network constraints and opportunities and to prepare and test concept plans and network priorities. Once completed, we analysed the plans to provide […]

Memorial Headstone Safety Audit

The intent of the audit by Xyst was to inspect memorial headstones for stability/soundness and identify any headstones that may present a risk to cemetery visitors and staff. To provide some context, in July 2000 a six-year-old child died as a result of a collapsed headstone in a UK cemetery. UK Councils responded by increasing […]

Asset & Facility Risk Assessments

New councillors were worried about the risks posed to their community, so the Mackenzie District Council engaged Xyst to perform a risk assessment on a range of community facilities and assets. Xyst’s team started by performing several site assessments, including the Albury Playground, Twizel Machinery Display, and Twizel Pool, producing several advisory reports for the […]

Executive Placement Parks and Facilities Manager

Xyst provided the expertise of a mature and experienced manager to cover the role for a period of 9 months. The role was both operational and managing the in-house service delivery staff covering cemeteries, parks, trails, trees, public toilets, playgrounds and minor capital projects.

Invercargill Cemetery Operations Review

Xyst was engaged in 2017 to undertake a review of cemetery operations at ICC and identified the existing processes used between staff and funeral directors were time consuming, expensive and had high risk of human error. There was no plans to update the Council’s corporate IT solution for cemetery bookings so Xyst identified a low […]

Cemetery Management Review

We reviewed the Council’s current bylaw, policy, standard operating procedures, forms, website and processes and practices. We have examined the Council’s current cemetery management module provided in Civica Authority and undertook a physical audit of records as they relate to interments in Charlton, Mataura, Gore and Pukerau cemeteries. We interviewed staff and funeral directors and […]

Standard Operating Procedure for Cemetery Interments

Xyst worked with the sextant to document current procedures and identify any areas of improvement. Industry best practice was reviewed to consider how current procedures stand with regard to health and safety, and risk minimisation.

Taupo District Cemetery Plan

The plan documented the management and capacity of each cemetery in the district, set levels of service for each cemetery and forecasted demand and capacity. Cemetery fees and charges were benchmarked across New Zealand using Yardstick

Cemetery Strategy

Xyst was engaged to help Port Pirie Council to have a region where all cemeteries are developed and maintained to create a pleasant, safe, peaceful and sustainable environment and all burials are managed with compassion, competency and efficiency. The development of this strategy provided a framework to ensure cemeteries continue to have space available to […]