Residents and undertakers in Kintyre can now ask council registrars to conduct non-denominational funeral services following a successful pilot programme.
The decision by Councillors means that people in the Kintyre area will have a greater choice of funeral service provider from within their own community. It also removes any potential need to travel outside their local area or the need to bring in officiators.
Local undertakers approached Argyll and Bute Council for help, due to the long-term decline in the number of available Church of Scotland Ministers to conduct funerals. The council launched a six-month pilot in 2022 to enable registrars, based in Campbeltown who already officiate at marriage ceremonies and register deaths, to with funeral arrangements including conducting services.
Councillor Alastair Redman, Policy Lead for Economic Growth, Communities and Corporate Services, said: “We’re pleased to be able to offer the support of our experienced registrars to deliver this important service. During the pilot, we received positive responses from families, mourners and undertakers. It was clear that the Kintyre community would welcome making this move permanent.
It now gives people a wider choice locally and helps to support our local undertakers.
“At present, there would not appear to be a demand to widen out the service into other areas of the Argyll and Bute region but we will continue to monitor the views of registrars in other districts to assess if there is a need elsewhere.”
For more information on the new service, contact the registrars at the Burnet Building in Campbeltown on 01546 605521 (Option 1) or email RegistrationEnquiries@argyll-bute.gov.uk