Mourners could be barred from attending burials if an increase in Covid-19 deaths leads to “extreme circumstances” for burial facilities.
Aberdeenshire Council says mortality rate figures show it could be facing a potential 23-week surge in demand for its services – with a pandemic-related staffing shortage also a possibility.
It has already begun retraining some gardeners to dig graves in preparation, but has insisted there is no “immediate crisis”.
A new report outlining further measures which may need to be taken to ensure its burial services continue to run “compassionately and efficiently” will go before councillors next week.
It says that, if the levels of demand increase “dramatically” they may have to impose a number of restrictions to prevent the system becoming overwhelmed.
The council may have to stop families being able to choose where a lair is situated, and suspend any advance sales of plots.
It could also be forced to move to a six-days-per-week operation and offer only limited options for the time and date of interments – or set these itself entirely.
And, in “extreme circumstances”, access for mourners may need to be suspended altogether.
The report states: “If demand for interments increases significantly it may not be possible to deliver an effective burial service that permits family access.
“It is also likely that such an increase in demand for burials would come at a time when skilled and experienced burial personnel are unavailable for work due to Covid-19 related isolations.
“It is therefore unlikely that the interment process would proceed as ‘normal’ and to protect everyone involved it would be sensible to conduct interments in private.
“This decision will not be taken lightly as the impact on family of the deceased is well understood.”
Stephen Archer, director of infrastructure services at the local authority, has agreed to suspend or reduce some of the burial fees if these changes are required.
He said: “During these extraordinary times, to protect this vital service, it may well be necessary to amend the level of service currently provided – particularly at a time where the availability of experienced, trained personnel from within the burial service may be unavailable due to the pandemic.
“These operational changes will be brought in as circumstances dictate and will be carried out in an empathetic manner, reflecting the sensitive nature of the work performed by the burial service and the impacts of any potential changes on family and friends who are already dealing with the loss of a loved one.”
