Funeral for former council leader

Rod Hills died from natural causes

More than 200 people have paid their last respects at a funeral service for a former leader of the City of York Council.

Rod Hills, 57, was found dead at a flat in Newton Walk, Chapletown, Leeds on 28 July.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had died from natural causes.

Mourners attended the service at York Minster on Wednesday.

Speaking to BBC Radio North Yorkshire after the funeral, former colleague Ron Cooke said Mr Hills would be sadly missed.

He said: "My main memory of Rod is that he has been absolutely, scrupulously fair in all the issues we have had in common.

"Every decision was made by him on a principled basis."

Charges dropped

Mr Hills became Labour leader of York Council in 1984, a position he held for 18 years before retiring from local politics.

Last year he appeared in court facing charges including blackmail, soliciting women for prostitution and perverting the course of justice.

All the charges were dropped.

Earlier this year, Mr Hills was questioned over the death of his wife, Carol Wallace, in 2000.

The case was later closed on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Hills also worked as a lecturer at the University of York.