Row over new war memorial ‘bogged down in red tape’

Sheffield’s former Lord Mayor Graham Oxley used his year in office to raise money for a monument to those from the city who have died in conflicts since the Second World War.

A council-owned garden in the city centre’s Balm Green has been agreed as an appropriate site.

Mr Oxley, who stood down from the city council at this year’s elections, said several people had now asked him what was happening with the project, which had become bogged down in “red tape”.

He said £12,000 had been raised during his mayoral year which ended more than 12 months ago.

Sheffield stonemason Andrew Vickers has agreed to carve the piece, while city surveyor Gerald Duniec and architect Peter Noble are also involved.

It had been hoped to have the scheme complete for last year’s Remembrance Sunday, but several wrangles have been thrown up, with angry emails exchanged between the project team and council executives.

Mr Oxley said: “It has taken much longer than we anticipated, and the whole process has dragged on and on and on. A lot of people have been very supportive and many are now asking me what is happening.

“We understand that the council had got to be careful that whatever is put in place is right for the city, but it does seem that there has been one hurdle after another.

“People pointed out to me, and they are quite right, that we have the Walk of Fame outside the Town Hall, where local celebrities are honoured, but we have nothing for our recent war dead.”

Mr Duniec has written to Sheffield Council’s chief executive John Mothersole several times to complain about the 15-month delay which he claims has been caused by council officers.

But Mr Mothersole told the Yorkshire Post the authority had agreed to pay relevant planning fees for the project and was committed to making it happen.

He said he had invited Mr Duniec to sit down with his planning and design team to hammer out any outstanding issues and ensure that the scheme moves forward as soon as possible.

He added: “This is a project that the council is keen to support. But it is a sensitive proposal in a sensitive location and everybody has to get it right. That means that whatever goes there has to be fitting.

“This council, more than most, has an admirable record of providing excellent public realm projects, and we want to maintain that, but it probably has taken too long to get where we are.

“With hindsight, we could have made it quicker in the past and we will work faster in the future, but it is ludicrous to suggest we had any intention of slowing this down.”

A planning application is due to be submitted for the memorial in the next few weeks.