Tala Tala newsletter Oct/Nov 2014
CEMETERY MEETING
Thank you for coming to this meeting regarding taxes and the cemetery. I would like to explain the current situation and what the Council has been trying to do to solve the position. I also confirm that information regarding this meeting will be available on the blog site in the form of a newsletter within the next week. The situation is not straightforward and not as clear cut and one sided as the press have made out. The cemetery problem is something inherited from the previous council and the Government. I have done my best to move things forward, but unfortunately the Government Departments do not move very quickly.
I would suggest that once you have had chance to digest what I have said, then read the newsletter and if you have any further questions, these are submitted by email to Cathi and the answers will be circulated as an additional newsletter.
Firstly, I have every sympathy with the unfortunate situation in which we find ourselves. After being misquoted in the press in the first article regarding burial in Tala, I was not prepared to say anything when approached about a second article. The journalist misquoted what I said for the first article and created a lot of bitter feeling. Any action being taken by Tala Council is not intended to be discriminatory but has come about due to lack of planning and foresight, not only on the part of Tala Council but also the Cypriot Government. This is not something that has evolved overnight, but goes back many years and has been exacerbated by the rapid growth in the population of the village over the last 12 years. In addition, the majority of the elderly Cypriots in the village were born and bred in the village, as were their families before them, and they have never lived anywhere else. To them, their religion is very important and they place great importance on being buried with their forebears.
1 THE CURRENT CEMETERY
The current cemetery was full in 2011. I came into office in January 2012 and in February 2012 the last burial in the old cemetery was carried out. Due to lack of space, the grave was formed alongside what was the gate at the time, and meant that anyone visiting the cemetery had to step over this grave for access. I promised myself then that I would not put any more grieving relatives through something like this. As the cemetery was full and there was nowhere for anybody to go, the Council [and I take full responsibility for this] extended the old cemetery without permission. We incorporated a small triangle of land [green area] attached to the cemetery, together with a portion of the old road [Pafilia had straightened the road leading to their apartment block] into the old cemetery, the area has been walled and the plots marked out. All this work was illegal. The necessary paperwork to authorise this extension is awaited and we have no idea when such permits, if forthcoming, will be available. The cost to carry out this work was approximately €12,000. The work was paid out of council funds in the same way that we would maintain the schools in Tala, or the football stadium. There are currently 22 spaces.
The council made a majority decision, that the extended cemetery remain for Orthodox Christians, ie to serve local needs, for locals born and bred here. They have relatives there and, as they have never left Cyprus , and in some cases Tala, they place great importance on the place of their burial. However, any new cemetery would be for all permanent residents, with the exception of those of the muslim faith. If the old cemetery could be opened up to all Christians in the village, in 6 months time it would be full with no space for anyone. The only solution is a new cemetery.
The current cemetery was gifted by the Church to the ‘Orthodox Christians of Tala’ many years ago and the title deed for the cemetery is under the name ‘Orthodox Christians of Tala’. All the old cemeteries on the island, as far as I am aware, were gifted to the villages in this way. The existing cemetery is, therefore, for the Orthodox Christians in the village.
Tala has an aging population, both as regards the expats and the Cypriots. The average death rate is 6 deaths per 1,000 population. Tala has a population of around 5,000, so Tala can expect around 30 deaths a year, as an average without taking into account the fact that over 25% of the population in Tala is over the age of 65.
Under European law, when it comes to burial at government cemeteries, there should be no discrimination in favour of Cypriot nationals when allocating burial spaces. Tala is not a government cemetery, but the cemeteries at Mesa Chorio and Paphos are.
2 THE NEW CEMETERY
Back in 2009, the then council reached an agreement with the Greek Orthodox Church to exchange land so that a new larger church could be built just off the village square. The land on which the church has been built was Ministry of Education land. The agreement was that 13 donums of land would be given by the Church to be shared between the village and the Ministry of Education and this land is down in the irrigated area towards Kissonerga. The last council had submitted all the necessary paperwork [apart from the title deeds] for planning permission for the entire 13 donum area.
From the time of the last election until last year, I was chasing the necessary paperwork from the Church to allow us to move forward with the new cemetery. When the paperwork was finally received, the 13 donums had been divided into 2 title deeds – half for the Ministry of Education and half to the Council. However, the half for the council was not a full transfer of title, but a lease with a proviso that the land was for a cemetery and that if the cemetery was not started within 5 years, the land would be reclaimed by the Church. As it is as a lease, this also means that even if the banks were lending, we could not use the land as security for a loan.
Given the agreement originally, planning permission had been applied for in respect of the entire 13 donums. In view of the division into two units, 9 months ago, the Council submitted revised plans for building a cemetery on the 6.5 donums which the Church is leasing to the Council. Planning permission is being pursued. However we have no town planning permit yet as:
- - There is no registered access in front of the land [the road is still down on all plans as a path]
- The land is leased and you should not have a cemetery on leased land – however, we have an assurance that the church would not try and claim the land back once it was in use as a cemetery, so this does not appear to be a problem
- - The Ministry of Agriculture is objecting to a cemetery on the grounds that it is proposed on agricultural irrigated land – this is the greatest obstacle and the hardest one to overcome as the Ministry spent a great deal of money bringing water to the area.
- - There are objections from some residing in the area who do not want a cemetery there.
The current law states that a local authority cannot build a cemetery using money paid as rates and must levy a separate tax specifically for a cemetery. Money received must be paid into a separate account. The law also states that the local authority must divide the total cost of such a cemetery amongst the members of the community and make a charge per household. You must pay the tax if you are a resident and if you have no objection on religious grounds [ie you are a muslim]. However, if you have purchased a burial plot elsewhere, do not wish to be buried in Tala, or have written into your will that you wish to be cremated, if you do not wish to pay the €20 cemetery tax, please submit a letter with a copy of the receipt for your plot, or a copy of your will. Otherwise, non-payment will result in a penalty charge and legal action can be taken.
In the last 18 months, we have had discussions with other councils to try and find a solution. At the end of 2012, the District Office invited Tala to join Emba, Lemba and Tremithousa with a view to obtaining public land for a joint cemetery for all these communities. This would have been convenient as it would have been close to the new Lyceum school in Emba. It took 9 months for us to be advised that we could have land [27 donums would be divided for the 4 villages on one site] but the Government wanted €2.7m. Understandably we did not pursue this any further but Emba continue with negotiations alone.
Kissonerga have a newly built cemetery and are severely in debt as a result. We approached them and offered to buy half of this cemetery which would have given us around 360 plots. Kissonerga wanted €700,000 initially but reduced their price to €500,000 after negotiation. However, some members of the council did not want to consider this option and it was rejected. We have since discussed with Kissonerga about the possibility of Tala residents having a discount on the plot price. After saying that they wanted a cost of €6,000 per plot, they are now considering allowing a 25% discount for Tala residents which would reduce the price down to €4,500 per plot. However, this has still not been agreed by their council members.
A Government cemetery near the airport has been planned for a number of years, but work came to a halt due to the financial crisis. As Paphos cemetery is now full, it is urgent that work recommences and we understand that the work is now out to tender. Tala is included in the catchment area for this cemetery. However, we have no idea of timescale.
Going back to the leased land, we have been chasing the planning permission for the 6.5 donums. The non-registered road is not a problem as it has been asphalted. However, the Agricultural Department is proving a greater obstacle. On Monday, 13 October, I was in Nicosia and I visited the Archbishop. He called the Agricultural Ministry whilst I was with him. On Tuesday, 14 October, I was at the District Office in Paphos and received a promise that they would write to the Ministry of Agriculture highlighting the problem we are facing regarding lack of burial facilities. In addition we still have objections from the residents in the area who do not want a cemetery for superstitious reasons. If we attempt to start work without the necessary permits, they will send the Police, work will be stopped and it could take even longer to resolve the matter, so we have no option but to wait for the proper permits.
A lot of cemeteries locally are full so Tala is not the only village with a problem. There has been lack of Government planning. The Government has changed zones to allow residential building over time [and added some 2,000 to the population of Tala over a 10 year period], and should have planned for expansion of all the facilities. The Government received the money [transfer fees on purchases, capital gains taxes, etc] but did nothing. Our Councils also have to share responsibility as they never considered pursuing the Government to highlight the likely problems of all the expansion, and now they are told ‘there is no money’.
Under Cypriot law, a cemetery cannot be built from rates money and a separate tax has to be charged. The cemetery tax of €20 per household is being levied so that the council is in a position to create a new cemetery as soon as permissions are granted, wherever that site may be. The tax is per household, and will be ring-fenced in a separate bank account specifically for the cemetery. The money collected will be refunded if the council cannot move forward on any cemetery. The amount invoiced for the tax will generate around €45,000. This tax is being levied to try and speed up the cemetery process. If we wait until the site, permissions and all the paperwork is in place and then levy the tax, we would be delaying matters by another 6-9 months and we know that speed is essential.
As the old cemetery was a gift to the Orthodox Christians of Tala, no charge has ever been made to those using plots there. However, in the new cemetery everyone will have to pay for a plot. The cost will depend on how much the construction costs.
Peyia had the foresight to plan for expansion of the community so they have the old Orthodox cemetery for the Orthodox christians, plus a new cemetery which is open to all residents, apart from muslims.
Our current options are:
- - Negotiate with the Ministry of Agriculture regarding the proposed new cemetery on the leased land. However, this will be time consuming and, as it would have to go to the Council of Ministers, could take years. We will see if the current recent activity brings any action.
- - Apply for compulsory purchase of land adjoining the old cemetery. This is a piece of approximately 1 donum and could house around 100 graves. The estimated purchase price of this piece of land is €200,000, but we could create a cemetery for all permanent residents of Tala with the exception of muslims. I cannot give an exact timescale, but we would hope to be in a position to start creating a cemetery within 12 months.
- -We are aware of a plot of land in Melisovounos where there is a shrine for the Prophet Ilias. Rumour has it that the Monastery is negotiating with a group of Russians who are keen to build a small church and possibly a cemetery there. The plot would be large enough to create a cemetery for all christians in the community as well as this church, and, as it is not in an agricultural area, nor overlooked by residents, it is unlikely that there would be objections. Father Alexios discussed this site as a potential cemetery with the previous council and so we would expect he is still willing to offer this option. New roads would probably be required, but in view of the site of this plot [butting onto Tala, Koili and Tsada], the Government would be responsible for building these. A survey was carried out around 5 years ago and it was confirmed that half of the site would be suitable for a cemetery. We are making further enquiries with the Monastery.
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- - Kissonerga council have agreed to discuss at their next council meeting, a discount of 25% off the plot price for Tala residents, ie a cost of €4,500 per plot. If the council agree, such plots would be available immediately for use by Tala residents.
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- We still have the option with Kissonerga of pursuing purchase of part of the cemetery if some members of the council can be persuaded that this is worth pursuing.
QUESTIONS & COMMENTS MADE BY AUDIENCE MEMBERS:
Q –Regarding plot charges, is there a difference in pricing?
A – In Tala currently this does not apply as there is only the Orthodox cemetery. With a new cemetery everyone taking a plot would have to pay. The practice in other communities is that there is at least a 3 level pricing structure:
- Resident in the village and paying taxes there
- Property owner in the village, but resident elsewhere
- Non- resident and non-property owner in the village
In our negotiations, Kissonerga would normally charge €6,000 for a plot for those coming into the final category above, but they are considering a 25% discount for Tala residents which would bring the cost of a plot down from €6,000 to €4,500.
Q - Regarding the plot of land the new church is built on, why was the deal not legally tied-up as surely the position should have been finalised before the church applied for a building permit? It is unfair that the Church has title to land that the church is built on and that the council transferred land to the Church without waiting for transfer to the village/Ministry of Education.
A - We have inherited the situation. However, instead of criticising, we need to try and find a solution. A petition by Tala residents may help in my negotiations with the Ministry of Agriculture or District Office.
Q - Can the council not address the situation with Kissonerga again?
A – We can and will.
Q – There are plots in the existing cemetery and they should be allocated on a first come first served basis.
A – If it is unfair for a present resident to be denied a plot, is it not unfair for Tala born and bred residents to be denied a plot? If the cemetery was opened up to all, it would be full in 6 months and there would then be a problem for both sides of the community.
Q – Why have we never been told that the cemetery is for Orthodox Christians only? There has never been anything in our newsletter.
A – I can only assume that everyone has presumed that people knew. Stephanie Residents Association are the only group who have raised questions regarding the cemetery as far as I am aware – there have been no other enquiries from residents as to the position.
Q - Can the council not review the position regarding the existing cemetery again?
A – This was discussed again last Thursday and the decision was not changed.
Q – Regarding the church and the plot of land, legal representation must have been used and if the advice, etc, was incorrect, can we not sue the legal representative? After all, we are in the EU.
A Yes, we are in the EU, but taking such steps would be expensive and time consuming and would not necessarily gain anything. Unfortunately, also, we may be members of the EU, but there is selection as to which parts of the EU legislation is adopted and which is ignored. We also have the clock ticking as there is a restriction in the lease that says if we do not start building a cemetery within 5 years, the Church will reclaim the land.
The leased plot is a good one. The Cypress trees have grown well and are established. As the Banks are not lending money, the council could lend the money to the cemetery account, and recover money from the cemetery tax and plot purchase.
Q - What is the position regarding the crematorium?
There is a rumour that a permit for a crematorium has been applied for at Ag Varvara. If the permit has been submitted, this means that the law must allow a crematorium to be built [if, eg, a permit was submitted for a casino, this would not be accepted as casino’s are illegal in Cyprus]. I understand that the crematorium is to be built by the Paradise Funeral Home and Mr Athindorou. The proposal is that the crematorium be built on a plot of church land. As the church objected, Mr Athindorou has purchased the plot from the church.
Q – If the Church had permission to build and the plot promised to the village hasn’t been given, but leased, then the village has been cheated by the Church.
Q – It would appear that the current council has inherited the sins and ineptitude caused by the previous council. We should not criticise but should try and find a solution, sign a petition, and try again with Kissonerga with a view to purchasing part of their cemetery, and the council members who objected to this step should be named and shamed.
Q – If I submit a letter saying that I have a plot elsewhere or I wish to be cremated, can I avoid the tax?
A Yes
Q – How many years will we have to pay the €20 tax?
A – We do not know at this stage. Initially, we want to raise money so that we can start the process of building a cemetery in Tala as soon as possible so that people can be buried. This is how the process works in Cyprus – residents pay for building the cemetery and then pay for a plot.
Q – My husband died in 2009 and I was refused permission to bury him in Tala.
Q - Given that members of the council are elected, can the Mukhtar publish the names of those members who objected to the Kissonerga proposal?
A – If it is possible for us to do this, we will [and if the minutes list names as opposed to numbers for and against]. Note: the minutes have been checked and the majority of the council members did not wish to pursue this proposal in view of the cost. The minutes do not list the names of the council members.
Q – Can we vote members of the council out of office if we object to them?
A – This would be difficult to do. You have to realise that people voted out at the last election are still behind the scenes stirring and have their own agendas.
Q – Regarding the €20 cemetery tax, if we get the permits and a cemetery can be built, it appears petty , given the amount, to refuse to pay the tax on the grounds that you have no wish to be buried in Tala or wish to be cremated.
Q – We note that a lot of hardwork has gone into trying to solve the problem. Hopefully the will of the people will solve the problem.
A – I have done my best to resolve the situation. It was inherited and I don’t have the majority of the council members to move forward without a fight.
Q – Can the council minutes not be made available to everyone – say, published on the website?
A - Cathi spent a great deal of time translating the minutes and accounts for the first 12 months. These were put in a binder and the newsletter advised people that these were available for people to see in the council office. Not one person looked at them. Due to pressure of work, Cathi stopped this practice.
Regarding publishing on the website, we will see if this can be done.
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL
Q – What happens with deceased persons once the existing plots are filled?
A – This is a major problem. Expats can go to Erimi, or Kissonerga or other local cemetery. For the Cypriots, they will have to hope that there is space in a family grave at Tala [after approx 7 years, a grave can be opened up, the bones are removed and then packed into a small container which is then placed back in the grave], or they will have to find space in another cemetery in another village.
Q – Would the Mukhtar refuse a Greek national who resides in Tala and follows the Greek Orthodox religion?
A – No – the current cemetery in Tala is an Orthodox Christian cemetery.
Q – What is the position of the Mukhtar on an expat from whatever nationality who has been married to a Cypriot born and bred national and who has lived in Tala for most of their lives and wish to be buried in the same plot?
A – If married to a Cypriot of Orthodox religion, then they can be buried together – assuming, of course, that either a double plot is available or that the plot can be dug deeper to allow for a second person. There is also the possibility that if the Cypriot dies first, then even if the grave has not been dug deep, the bones can be removed, repacked and placed back into the grave, allowing space for the spouse.
TAXATION
Taxation for the majority will be the same as last year. However, a handful of large luxurious villas will see a rise in their tax.
We have to economise. We have been spending, for example, €20,000 to €30,000 per year on the football stadium for maintenance. Prior to the recession and the change of council, the income was €1,500,000. We have lost almost €500,000 of that income now in respect of loss of building permits.
Q – I applied for a discount in my rates last year but did not receive a reply.
A – The rating criteria have been listed in the newsletter. Please either come and see me or pass a letter to me and it will be investigated if you wish to appeal your rating.
REFUSE COLLECTION
We changed the providers of the service as a cheaper tender was received. Emba, Lemba, Kissonerga, Chloraka and Tala worked together to obtain this tender. However, we have had many complaints regarding non-collection and also the time of such uplifts, ie late evening or very early morning. The council obtained a better price for the collection, but the refuse charge to homeowners has remained the same – and for some they are getting a poorer service.
Q - In the first few weeks, the service was hit and miss. However, since then it has been superb. They clear up if bags split and now they leave the vehicle at the end of the road and walk along to collect the bags so we are not disturbed in the early hours of the morning. The service is excellent.
WATER
Regarding EU law [and I admit some are applied and some are conveniently forgotten by the Government], no individual can trade in drinking water. In Tala, we have water supplied by the council, but also from the Monastery and Kamares. We all buy water from the Government and then sell it to the public, but there is no control. After 2004, it was illegal for individuals to supply water to communities and the continuation of this practice deprives the community of funds. The Government has contacted both the Monastery and Leptos and told them that the supply must be carried out by the Council. They want compensation, but whilst with Leptos the Government can compulsorily purchase their water deposits, they cannot do the same with the Monastery as the Church is excluded from compulsory purchase. Eventually, the Council will be supplying all the water to all residents in Tala.
PROPERTY TAX
There are two property taxes. One paid to Paphos and a separate levy payable in Tala. The Land Registry supplies a list of property owners and the tax is based on the 1980 property values. Last year, the property tax payable to the tax authorities in Paphos was extended to include many lower valued properties, as this was a Troika requirement.
The tax paid in Tala is a minimal amount.
Q – Two or three years ago, your predecessor talked about taxation and admitted that many people were not paying the tax. He also said that the outstanding amount ran to several hundreds of thousands of euros. What has the current council done to recover such taxes?
A – An effort has been made to collect a large percentage of the backlog. We discounted penalties, offered an instalment facility and negotiated to force people to pay. The only tax we did not insist upon was the local Immovable Property Tax as when property is transferred, people have to get a certificate to confirm that this tax has been paid – so when a transfer happens, people will have to pay the arrears so that they obtain the certificate and the transfer can take place. Many said that bills had never been received and no-one was pursued for payment.
DOGS
Q – I live in Lofos and there is a house with a pack of dogs – they are noisy, people are scared of them, and they attack people as they go past.
A – I have spoken to the lady who looks after the house and have given her a notice stipulating that there should be no more than 2 dogs at the house, they must not be let out unless they are on a lead, and that they should be kept in the house. She has assured me that they are never let out of the house, but I have reports of them being out and being teased by children.
One of the next things we are going to do, is to find dog owners, get the dogs licensed and start levying fines. We need co-operation from people and help, ie taking photographs so that we have proof and can try and trace the owners. Everyone disclaims responsibility.
Q – Whose job is it to respond to noisy dogs?
A – This is the job of the Police, but we have examples of the Police being called out, having a drink with the dog owner, and returning to the station taking no action.
What can we do? If there is a problem regarding wandering off a lead, fouling footpaths, etc, as a Council we won’t renew dog licences and the owners can then be fined for not having a licence. Picking up after dogs is a problem in some areas also – particularly where there is no pavement in place. We can fine people for not picking up after their dog.
Q – Could we have another poo bin – on the ‘For Sale’ land near to Lakis please?
A – Yes, we can look at this.
There being no further questions, the meeting ended after the Mukhtar had thanked everyone for attending.
CEMETERY & REPATRIATION APPROXIMATE COSTS
Please note that any figures and information supplied is as a guideline only and cannot be guaranteed.
1 Repatriation Cyprus to UK
Including collection, preparation/embalming, sealed coffin, paperwork, air freight, but excluding all UK costs €2,400 to €2,900 – depending on time of year, weight and destination.
A simple UK cremation would cost in the region of €2,700 to €3,200.
A simple UK burial would cost in the region of €3,000 to €4,700.
All figures are very approximate as there are many variables involved, ie distance, choice and size of coffin, village/town graveyard fees, undertakers charges, cremation charges, limousines, flowers, church, choir, organist fees.
2 Grave Plots in Cyprus
Erimi €850 – rising to €900 for a double plot [extra depth]
Paphos Municipal €850 – cemetery nominally full
Peyia €855 – must be Peyia resident
Chlorakas €1,500 – may not be open to non-village resident
Emba €None – Orthodox cemetery nominally full
Kissonerga up to €6,000 – see earlier re scale of charging
Mesa Chorio € full - possibly not open to non-village residents
Konia €1,500 – possibly not open to non-village residents
Anarita €1,000 – possibly not open to non-village residents
Ay Demetriaos € 500 – possibly not open to non-village residents
To above plot prices should be added a charge for opening and closing a grave [around €350] plus local undertaker fees and, where used, church charges.
Thanks to Tim Sabben-Clare for providing the above information.
DOG POISONING
Please be careful when walking your dog. We have been made aware of poisoning in the Koralion area [bottom of Kamares, off Mary Leptos, or on past Vrasidas Taverna and near Tala Hills].
DOG MASSAGE
We have been contacted by a lady who offers dog therapeutic massage and dog training in Tala. If anyone is interested, please contact Cathi on
toffee@primehome.com and she will supply you with contact details.
WHAT’S ON:
21 Oct Bingo at Welfare Centre – 6pm
31 Oct Paphos Voices – A tribute of Songs in memory of World War 1, 1914-1918 at Tala Church Hall. Starts 7.30pm. Tickets €7 from Anita 99771548 or Joy 99496153 (Tala)
31 Oct Halloween at Vatouthkia
31 Oct Halloween at Melitzia – SOLD OUT
31 Oct Halloween at Kamares Club
8 Nov Purrzaar at the Café at Tala Monastery for benefit of Monastery Cats 1030 to 3pm
15 Nov Kamares Christmas Bazaar
20-24 Nov Art exhibition by Alison Waite at the Library at the Church Hall. 1100-1900 each day.
21 Nov Barry White tribute from the UK at Vatouthkia
29 Nov A Musical Affair – an evening of song from Tina Chester and Teodoro de Castillo at Tala Church Hall. Tickets €10 from Hearns, Peter Morton Removals and SoEasy Kiosk in Tala, or reserve on www.talanews.blogspot.com
6 Dec TBC Collegium Cyprium Classical concert at Tala Church Hall
7 Dec TBC Tala Christmas Bazaar at Tala School
11 Dec Merry Christmas Party at Melitzia
13 Dec Top of the Pops Xmas Party at Vatouthkia
For reservations at Melitzia, Vatouthkia or Kamares Club, please contact the venue direct to book tickets.
TBC – to be confirmed - details will be circulated by email.
Next issue of the newsletter – 20 February 2015.
Areti Pieridou
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