A POPULAR cemetery caretaker faced with eviction has been backed by ward councillors in his bid to stay in his home.

Jim Emery, 60, faces the loss of his four-bedroom home at Hollybrook Cemetery after Southampton City Council axed his job of 26 years as the city’s cemetery superintendent. 

Messages of support yesterday flooded in after the Daily Echo revealed his plight .

Council chiefs have refused an offer for him to remain at the lodge with his wife Lorayne, 64, and their six-year old dog Honey for a reduced rent if he continued his duties unpaid. Coxford councillors Keith Morrell amd Don Thomas have called for Labour council leaders to adopt a “common sense and flexible approach”.

In a joint statement, they said: “Jim’s offer to the council that he would continue locking and unlocking the gates, helping the many visitors and generally keeping an eye on the cemetery if he and his wife were allowed to stay on in the house until he reached retirement age would, in our opinion, have been a win-win for everyone concerned.

"A Labour council should put people first.”

The previous Conservative administration decided to axe Mr Emery’s job in its February budget to save £25,000 a year. He has worked has worked for the council 42 years, starting out as a grave digger.

Deputy Tory group leader Jeremy Moulton said they stood by the decision but said they had been discussing with officers a “common sense compromise”

deal over Mr Emery’s home while they were in office. He accused Labour leaders of being too bureaucratic and “uncaring” in their bid to move him into alternative accommodation.

Council chiefs said they were considering a “number of options” about the future use of the lodge. It is understood officers have earmarked around £200,000 from its sale.

The council said Mr Emery’s role had become redundant due to technological advances and added that grave diggers had always been on site to help bereaved families and funeral directors. A spokesman said: “We do not see there being a significant impact on our residents.”

But funeral director Paul Capper last night warned that bereaved relatives would suffer from a reduced service, and questioned how CCTV, computer mapping of graves, grave diggers or other staff would replace Mr Emery’s specialist role in greeting visitors or deterring vandals.

“Somebody like Jim in that role knows the cemeteries back to front and understands bereavement.

"That role is vital,” he said.

Cabinet member for environment and transport Asa Thorpe is due to meet Mr Emery face to face on Monday to discuss “future employment and accommodation opportunities”.