Wellingborough councillors were due to discuss the matter at a meeting last week but a change of Government policy has delayed the decision.
It has been suggested that where there is an unsafe headstone in the town's cemeteries families should pa
y for repairs.
The proposal caused outrage, with many people facing a bill of hundreds of pounds.
Council community committee chairman Cllr Malcolm Waters said: "Our hands are tied because it is Government legislation which says what has to happen.
"My heart goes out to the people where there might be some financial concerns."Government advice to Wellingborough Council has been to avoid public consultation on the matter, but also to avoid covering up headstones or cordoning off of areas using hi-visibility tape as this can be upsetting to relatives.
Where no living relative can be found to be responsible for a grave, the council must pay the repair bill.
Wellingborough Council has made progress testing memorials to find out which are unsafe by using a Topple Tester to assess the stability of headstones. It works by applying pressure to each headstone.
Other local councils have started headstone testing. Corby Council found roughly 10 per cent of headstones in one cemetery were unsafe.
Wellingborough Council's decision on headstone repairs will be made at a committee meeting in January after the release of new Government instructions.
The full article contains 254 words and appears in Northants Evening Telegraph newspaper.
