BARNSLEY’S Liberal Democrat group have hit out at the council over a £2.5m investment into three ‘Yorkshire Rose’ sculptures in the town centre.
The first phase of the scheme - due to begin as soon as the summer - includes a sprawling urban park comprising three separate natural gardens but the main attraction of the initial project will be the arrival of three sculptures.
The central sculpture will stand at 15 metres tall while two smaller 12-metre sculptures will serve as a ‘landmark’ for the area.
The total cost for County Way’s regeneration is now expected to be £11.97m, however £7.5m is anticipated to come from external sources.
A total of £2.5m is set to be spent on the three sculptures, from design and creation.
However, the Liberal Democrat group in Barnsley have raised their concerns over whether or not the sculptures are a good use of public money.
Coun Steve Hunt told the Chronicle: “It’s not entirely clear to me where this idea came from.
“I have spoken to many people about it and have not yet found anyone who thinks it is a good use of £2.5m of public money.”
Coun Dickie Denton added: “What concerns me is the optics of how this looks.
“I am all in favour of investing in the arts and culture, but I think there are better, more inclusive ways of doing it, that touch the grass roots of our communities.
“I am in favour of impressive structures that people can be proud of but why not ones that represent our rich heritage and tradition, that are a nod to the past and a beacon to the future.
“For me this project misses on those levels and to residents turning on the TVs every day to more cuts in services and benefits, new taxes and increasing costs this will seem not only unnecessary but insensitive.
“Regrettably, I am concerned that it is the wrong project, in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
In response Coun James Higginbottom said that the Lib Dems in Barnsley ‘bemoan everything’.
He added: “The vast majority of the funding for this public art work is funded from external sources.
“Some people will like it, some people might not.
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“Art is in the eye of the beholder.
“Over the years we’ve had opposition members from the Liberal Democrat group standing up in this chamber to decry the creation of the Glassworks, the renovation of the library - this is just another one on that list.
“There has been a resounding success to date and there will continue to be.”
The leader of the council, Sir Steve Houghton, added: “I just find this depressing.
“Coun Denton says it’s okay in Singapore but not Barnsley.
“That is appalling that our residents don’t deserve world class because it’s in Barnsley.
“Never mind, because we think it does.
“I know that Coun Denton isn’t a Yorkshireman but I am - I’m a proud Yorkshireman.
“The Yorkshire Roses display our historic heritage and we are going to love that because I love coming from Yorkshire and being from Barnsley.”
Coun Chris Wray responded to the criticism and added: “The Liberal Democrats have, contrary to misleading comments by Labour, always supported libraries and the improvement of the town.
“We do, however, have reasonable concerns over ballooning costs, and if the proposed works will function as intended, such as the often-broken lifts at the Tommy Taylor Bridge.”
