The mayor of Porirua says proposed changes to how the council manages cemeteries will not prevent the placing of some gang insignia on gravestones.
The council on Wednesday agreed to seek public opinion on the proposal which forbids offensive words or symbols such as a swastika on the monuments.
Porirua mayor Nick Leggett says the proposal would simply formalise a process which has been used for decades.
He says the council has worked with the Mongrel Mob in the past and negotiated over appropriate symbols for headstones at the Whenua Tapu cemetery.
Mr Leggett says those insignia won't be removed and won't necessarily be forbidden in the future.
He says there is a fine line on what is offensive and the council has to think about what's best for the greatest number of people.
The Porirua Cemeteries Management Plan is open for public consultation.
