A POLICY on memorial benches and trees in cemeteries across the district will be reviewed.

Last year, Maldon District Council’s community services committee voted to suspend sales of memorial benches at Maldon Cemetery and Promenade Park after concerns there were too many.

Later draft policy guidelines, which were considered by the committee, suggested grieving families could be stopped from leaving any memorials or tributes.

The council said the policy was only aimed at making sure dead flowers were cleared away and wreaths which had been left for months were disposed of.

At the community services committee meeting last week members voted to allow the cemeteries working group to review the draft policy.

The group will then report back to the committee with its recommendations.

Ron Pratt, chairman of the committee, said: “I think there is more work to do be- cause I have got lots and lots of questions. It was far too premature, what was being interpreted was not what was intended.

"This is a very sensitive area and I would like to spend some more time just talking it through.”