‘Frivolous’ sculpture trail spending under fire

Coun Nick Harvey, a Green Party member on Scarborough Borough Council, claimed he is furious that so much public money is being used to finance the trail on the Wolds Way while front-line services are having to be cut.

Coun Harvey said: “In this area our last bus back from Scarborough is now before 6.30pm, there is no money for dropped kerbs for the disabled, there is no money to clear paths of overgrown vegetation and getting potholes is fixed is taking longer. I don’t mind going out and giving a hand clearing snow and ice in winter or helping clear a couple of footpaths, I’m a practical person who does not mind getting their hands dirty.

“But I get really annoyed when I find I’m trying to save public money only for unelected organisations and quangos to fritter it away.

“I have made senior officers aware within Scarborough Council of the huge amount of public money going into this scheme to build sculptures on the Wolds Way.

“The problem is that councils struggle to cope with the idea that there is no such thing as ‘free money’. If the money comes from somewhere else – ‘lets dream up a scheme that qualifies for the money, apply for it and spent it’.”

Coun Harvey maintained that he had submitted ideas during the last three years for the Hertford Ward which he represents to encourage healthy living by improving walking and cycling routes as well as proposals for an outdoor exercise gym.

He added: “I am concerned that plans are going ahead with a sculpture trail on the Wolds Way. I’d like the costs explained, and hopefully this statement gets a debate going, as it is hard to obtain accurate figures of the money that will be spent on 10 sculptures and six benches. We know £80,000 has come from the Arts Council, £150,000 from European funding, the total scheme is costing £575,000. That’s a lot of money per bench and sculpture.”

However, Scarborough Borough Council’s Cabinet member responsible for projects management, Coun Andrew Backhouse, said Coun Harvey was being “parochial” and added: “People will come to look at this. We live in a multi-cultural society.”