Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Portfolio Holder for Communities & Culture and the Director Comms, Culture and Leisure Facilities.

Agreed:

RESOLVED that the findings of the Scrutiny Task and Finish Group be noted.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve: -

(1)        an application being made for listing building consent for the relocation of the statue to an alternative location, to allow the opportunity to conduct a public consultation on the proposed Task and Finish Group recommendations prior to a final determination of the matter by full Council;

(2)        temporary information boards be erected near to the statue;

(3)        an arts-based engagement project with residents be established, through a public art working group in conjunction with the University of Exeter and Exeter Culture, to consider the role of public art and create a new public art strategy in Exeter;

(4)        a working group be created to establish a Council Anti-Racism Strategy led by the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Communities; and

(5)        the Corporate Equality and Diversity Group develop a training and awareness raising programme for staff and Councillors on equality impact assessments, and their role in the Council’s decision-making process.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report on the review of the General Buller Statue, which had been brought back to the Executive Committee following a resolution at the July 2020 Executive meeting, that a Scrutiny Task and Finish Group be set up to investigate the continued appropriateness of the statue of General Buller and his horse Biffen at its current location. The investigation was to further contrast the statue’s appropriateness against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement against systemic racism and discrimination.

The Director Leisure Tourism and Culture and the Policy Officer - Community Safety, Safeguarding and Equality & Diversity made particular reference to the following:-

·         the wide range of stakeholders who had been consulted including historic and civic societies, community groups and local historians with feedback received from some 20 organisations in total;

·         the strong views expressed on the matter by the wider public;

·         that no financial provision had been made should a decision be taken to remove the statue other than for the provision of temporary information boards from within existing budgets to contextualise the statue; and

·         subject to a decision being made on the application for listed building consent and funds being identified, the matter would be brought back to Members for a final decision to be made.

During the discussion the following points were made:-

·         the Task and Finish Working Group were thanked for its time and work in exploring in detail this emotive subject and its recommendations supported, including the proposal for full public consultation before reaching a final decision;

·         it would not be an assessment of General Buller himself but the appropriateness of civic statutes and monuments in a modern setting;

·         welcome the proposal for an arts based engagement process with residents in order to facilitate a broader examination of the role of public art;

·         welcome the support of the University of Exeter and Exeter Culture in working with the Task and Finish Working Group; and

·         both the Equality Impact Assessment and Carbon Footprint Statement were procedural tools used to help achieve informed decisions on matters before the Council, reflecting the Council’s strong commitment in both areas.

Councillor Leadbetter, as Leader of the main opposition group, expressed his concern that resources were being diverted un-necessarily to this issue given the continuing seriousness of the Covid-19 Pandemic and questioned the need and sensibility in proceeding with the proposals, other than some form of public consultation. He also referred to the general context during the period of the original proposal for a statute commemorating General Buller and to the significant public support at that time.

The Director Leisure, Tourism and Culture advised that the determination of a listed building consent would be a matter for the Planning Committee with the normal planning consultation process carried out. He also stated that the provision of the statute had not been without controversy during that period as evidenced by newspapers of the time.

The Leader concluded by referring to the intention to fully consult the public and that no  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5