Fife Council has apologised to a grieving family after accidentally opening up their son’s grave.
The family took the matter to the Scottish Ombudsman who said the council’s failings had caused considerable distress and upset.
The father who made the complaint, known only as Mr C, explained that the council had, in error, opened the grave in which his son was buried.
When the family discovered the grave had been disturbed they contacted the local authority.
They were initially told the grave had been dug to a depth of two feet and then filled in.
However, the ombudsman said that the council had not provided a clear and consistent account of the terrible mistake because the grave had in fact been fully prepared for a burial.
The council explained the mistake was down to an “administrative error”, with the wrong area identified by a member of the administrative staff.
Gravediggers had also failed to notice or question why the plaque at the grave did not match the details which were recorded on their work instructions.
The ombudsman found the council’s handling of Mr C’s complaint to be “relatively poor” in view of the “clear failings which had caused considerable distress and upset”.
“The complaint was not treated with the degree of priority that it should have been, and Mr C did not receive a proper response to his request for a meeting,” the ombudsman found.
He recommended the council give a full apology for the distress caused and offer an opportunity for the family to meet with the chief executive.
The council should show that lessons learned had been communicated to staff, he added.
Council service manager Liz Murphy said: “We’ve taken the ombudsman’s recommendations on board and given the complainant a full apology.
“Also, we’ve amended our processes and staff are being made aware of the requirements of recommendations.”