Agreed DBW.
Really interesting that you raise the issue of grass cutting and absolutely agree, there does not appear to be a single definitive legal precedent, not even a clearly defined NALC (and by extension county ALC) policy position.
I’m aware of a situation where a recently resigned very long standing (and deeply misinformed) Cllr that had bid and received grant funding for exactly this purpose over many years, provided a LGA reference to the clerk who dutifully added it to the agenda without checking what the reference actually referred TO.
Needless to say the reference did not align to the application and it was bounced off the agenda when this error was highlighted.
The following month it reappeared with a different reference - which was also incorrect and again it was bounced.
That was Jan and it is still rolling along without any of those that are enthusiast to make the payment being able (or willing) to present an appropriate justification.
Of course it is an often misunderstood situation where the ‘religious institution’ barring of funds is misapplied.
A burial ground - even if attached directly to a CofE church is NOT a religious facility since such burial grounds must be open to all regardless of personal religious status.
So an (open) burial ground attached to a CofE church is NOT a religious institution so NOT debarred on that basis.
That’s not to say, conversely, that grant funding should be provided, whether to, or not, is a stand alone decision of course - it’s just that it seems often to be misquoted as being not allowed on religious grounds but this is a flawed stance.
