Fife Council is to halt the pre-sale of burial lairs in some cemeteries with immediate effect.
And many previously-sold unused lairs are being reclaimed in a bid to extend the lifespan of under-pressure graveyards.
All Fife cemeteries are expected to be full within 80 years without action.
And it is hoped the moves will ensure Fifers have the option to bury their dead for many decades to come.
The council’s bereavement services revealed seven cemeteries have less than five years left.
These include Scoonie Cemetery in Leven, St Monans, Kingsbarns and Boarhills.
And a further 11 will be full within the decade.
Kinghorn and Tulliallan cemeteries have no lairs left at all.
Search is on for locations for new Fife cemeteries
While 70% of funerals in Fife now involve cremations, bereavement services manager Liz Murphy said demand for burials remains constant, with around 900 a year.
Work to identify possible locations for new cemeteries has already started as a result.
And a range of other options are also being looked at.
It is hoped some cemeteries can be extended.
And options to develop green burial projects are also being examined.
Meanwhile, designated ash-scattering areas could be introduced throughout Fife.
Ms Murphy said stopping the pre-sale of lairs would only be introduced at cemeteries with less than 10 years’ capacity.
This will ease the pressure in those communities.
Reclaiming unused plots
Cemeteries are considered full if all lairs have been purchased – even when plots remain empty.
Fife Council is now reclaiming plots sold more than 50 years ago but never used if a successor cannot be found to claim burial rights.
Ms Murphy said: “There are 61 sites in Fife that are active, meaning there are still regular burials.
“Within the next 20 years, 16 cemeteries are nearing capacity, 11 cemeteries have less than 10 years, seven cemeteries have less than five years.”
What does the Fife public think?
The decisions have the support of the Fife community.
A online public consultation in February was viewed more then 3,000 times and attracted 228 responses.
Options put forward by the council included do nothing, extend current provision and create one cemetery for the whole of Fife.
More than 90% of respondents said do nothing was not an option.
Just over half agreed with stopping the pre-sale of lairs across all cemeteries.
And 71% agreed unused lairs should be retrieved.
Only 3% of people said the council should consider one large cemetery for Fife.
And this option does not form part of the new cemeteries action plan.
Conversation