The Dunedin City Council has apologised to a widow and her family, and taken "significant" disciplinary action against one of its staff, after ashes were exhumed without permission at a city cemetery.
The incident was revealed by the Otago Daily Times last month, following an anonymous tipoff, and prompted an investigation by council staff.
Council community life general manager Graeme Hall confirmed the investigation was complete, and accepted a mistake had been made by a council staff member.
"An error was made and we have done what we can in the situation to resolve it," he said.
Mr Hall and other council staff met the family to apologise personally for the actions of the council staff member involved, and offered an assurance "every step" would be taken to ensure there was no repeat, he said.
The staff member had been the subject of "significant" disciplinary action, but had kept their job, he said.
He would not disclose the exact nature of the disciplinary action.
The family had also agreed to other "remedial action", the details of which would also not be released for privacy reasons, he said.
Council staff had launched a "thorough" review of cemetery processes following the mistake, and were rewriting instructions for staff dealing with issues that could have a "negative impact" on customers, he said.
The steps came after the council investigation confirmed a staff member had exhumed and moved the dead man's ashes, without the knowledge or consent of the family, Mr Hall confirmed.
An initial mistake meant it was wrongly thought the family had bought a double plot at the cemetery, when in fact they had only a single plot, Mr Hall said.
That meant the dead man's ashes were buried in the centre of the assumed double plot, in the wrong position for the single plot the family had actually bought.
A monumental mason beginning work on a headstone had also noticed the error and queried the location of the plots, prompting the staff member to move the ashes without consulting the family, Mr Hall said.
The family noticed the swap after visiting the grave and discovering the temporary cross and flowers they had left behind had been moved to a new location, the anonymous source told the ODT.
Mr Hall said the ashes had been shifted about four metres.
Mr Hall was not aware of any similar incidents, but the staff member's action was "unacceptable" and "also not usual practice".
"When things like this happen you stop and talk to the family. That's their land, their sacred family items . . . You talk to them about anything that gets done on it.
"You don't disturb them - that's the golden rule."
The ODT has decided not to publish the name of the dead man or the cemetery to protect the family's privacy.
Those in contact with them said the family were distressed and did not want to talk to the media.
