THERE are so many benches in Newport council cemeteries that they are getting in the way of maintenance workers, funeral directors, mourners and even grave diggers, a new report says.

The Newport council report says that a previous decision to allow people to buy and provide their own benches has led to a vast number being installed on pathways or adjacent plots to recent burial areas.

Street service cabinet member Cllr David Fouweather has now suspended the installation of benches in Caerleon, St Woolos and Christchurch cemeteries while the situation is reviewed.

According to the report although purchasers of benches must agree to maintain them before they are installed by council workers, most do not.

That’s despite many being made from softwood that only lasts fives years without regular maintenance.

As a result staff are having to remove two to three a year, including the concete plinth, and have already received complaints about four unsafe benches this year.

The number of benches has also begun to cause "operational issues," the report said, blocking access for maintenance work to grass areas behind and restricting access for visitors and to grave sides for gravediggeers to build new or open existing graves.

The review is estimated to take six months and will be completed by the end of November.

A council spokeswoman said the problem was mainly located in St Woolos and Christchurch cemeteries.

Cllr David Fouweather said: “Over the past few years there has been a vast increase in the amount of benches in our cemeteries.

“As a result, the council is reviewing the seating provision in our cemeteries and until the recommendations of that review are known we will suspend installing further benches in all cemeteries.”