Bensafrim Parish Assembly
17 July of 2026
POINT 5 – Draft Regulation on Cemeteries of the Parish Council of Bensafrim
The Movement Lakes with Future recognizes the importance of the Parish Council having a regulation that governs the administration of cemeteries in the parish, ensuring clear rules regarding burials, exhumations, transfers, concessions and use of this public space.
However, We understand that the project presented today does not fully meet the requirements of a modern administration, transparent and close to citizens, reason why our voting will be unfavorable.
Right away, This is a regulation that reproduces, to a large extent, national legislation and models used by other authorities, without introducing innovative solutions or sufficiently adapting its content to the specific needs of the parish of Bensafrim.
We also verify that, in various subjects, the regulation gives the President of the Board a high degree of discretion to authorize exceptions or decide situations that are not clearly typified, without establishing objective criteria that ensure equal treatment between citizens. We believe that a regulation should favor clear and predictable rules, reducing dependence on case-by-case decisions.
On the other hand, We understand that the document reveals an excessively bureaucratic view of cemetery management, not keeping up with technological developments in Public Administration. We did not find any reference to the digitalization of processes, the possibility of electronic consultation of records or the use of electronic means to communicate with concessionaires, solutions that could make the service more efficient and closer to citizens.
We also consider the mechanisms envisaged to guarantee the rights of concessionaires to be insufficient. In particularly sensitive matters, as the declaration of abandonment of graves, the expiry of concessions or the coercive carrying out of works, a reinforced hearing procedure for interested parties should be expressly provided for, ensuring that all reasonable due diligence was carried out before adopting decisions with relevant patrimonial consequences.
We also understand that the regulation should reinforce the principles of transparency and accountability. It would be desirable to provide for the periodic publication of statistical information on cemetery management, namely the number of burials, exhumations, transfers, concessions and respective revenues, allowing greater scrutiny of the use of a public service administered by the Parish Council.
Furthermore, the regulation does not include any reference to improving accessibility conditions for people with reduced mobility, nor does it establish objectives of modernization or valorization of that space, essentially limiting itself to regulating administrative procedures.
The Movement Lakes with Future considers that a regulation of this nature should go beyond the mere reproduction of current legislation, assuming itself as a true instrument of good administration, transparency and improvement in the quality of service provided to citizens.
For the reasons explained, We believe that this regulation should be reviewed and improved, strengthening citizens’ guarantees, the objectivity of administrative decisions, transparency of management and modernization of services.
In these terms, the Lagos com Futuro Movement votes against the Bensafrim Parish Council Cemeteries Regulation Project.