JIMMY Savile’s corpse should be exhumed and his remains cremated following complaints from other people who have loved ones buried in the same cemetery, a Tory councillor claimed.
Coun Colin Haddington spoke out as his civic colleagues voted unanimously to immediately strike Savile’s name from Scarborough Council’s roll of honour and posthumously revoke his freedom of the Borough once the police investigation is over.
But council leaders said there was no point in investigating the idea of an exhumation because the decision on his final resting place is a matter for his family and the church authorities.
Those voting in favour of agreeing in principle to withdraw the highest honour the council can bestow included Independent leader Peter Popple – who said he had the “unfortunate” job of putting the disgraced star’s name forward in the first place in 2005.
Savile is currently buried in concrete in the resort’s Woodlands Cemetery, where he was laid to rest at a 45 degree angle a year ago so he could “see the sea”.
His £4,000 headstone was removed and broken up for landfill at the request of the family.
Coun Haddington said: “I have been contacted by one of my constituents whose granddaughter is buried close to Savile.
“This has caused her enormous concern and the family a great deal of distress. My constituent has asked me to put her family at ease – if the body could be exhumed, taken a short distance to the crematorium, and cremated.”
Proposing the motion, council leader and retired Superintendent Tom Fox, Scarborough’s former police commander, argued it was not the council’s place to decide what happened to Savile’s remains, which was a matter for the family.
He said: “Savile is interred in consecrated ground. If he is exhumed and put in another consecrated area the church diocese will need to give permission and consent given to where he goes.”
It is not clear when Savile’s name will be struck from the roll of honour which is displayed in the entrance to the town hall.
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