Statue Conflict

 

 

Settle Statue Storm: –

Settle Town Council is facing criticism after deciding to raise council tax to fund a statue of its chairman.

Plans are being submitted to Craven District Council’s planning officers for a 10ft bronze statue of current Town Mayor Joe Lord to be built in place of the current market cross.

It is hoped the statue, which will stand on a concrete base displaying the town’s motto ‘Parlo Foil’, will become a popular tourist attraction.

 

‘The current Market Cross,which will be relocated to the Millenium Garden.’

Cllr Lord, 24, who became one of the youngest mayors in the country when he was elected last May, even chaired the controversial meeting where the idea was put forward.

Other suggestions for figures to be honoured as a statue included County Councillor Richard Welch, or composer Sir Edward Elgar who was a regular visitor to the town.

A Settle Town Council spokesperson said: “Sure, Elgar wrote some decent tunes, but we feel that a statue of Cllr Lord will be better than a little-known composer from a century ago. We want to promote Settle’s future, not its past. It may even double up as a streetlight, who knows? Anyway, it’s only an extra fiver on council tax.”

Avril Fisher, of the North Yorkshire Taxpayer’s Group, said “this is a disgusting waste of public funds. It is the beginning of April, the new financial year, and councils should be more responsible.” Councillor Lord was unavailable for comment.