Controversial £35k project for Spalding’s Abbey Passage could be ‘tweaked’
A controversial project to add a £35,000 artwork along a dingy passageway could be ‘tweaked’, says the councillor leading the Spalding Town Improvement Programme.
South Holland District Council cabinet member Gary Taylor wants Transported to come to a future Spalding Town Forum meeting to discuss the Abbey Passage plans.
The arts group received £30,000 from the Arts Council England National Lottery grant along with a further £5,000 from the town centre improvement fund to install artwork along the alley to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.
But the plans have come under fire from people in the area who feel that the project is a waste of money – and the project was mocked through graffiti daubed on the wall earlier in the year.
Speaking at Tuesday’s forum meeting Coun Taylor said there was an aspiration for the project to continue but there could be an opportunity to gate it off instead.
He said: “I know there has been some debate regarding that and maybe this is an opportunity to voice opinions regarding that.
“There is no start date regarding this project. Maybe they could hold off until they have had that discussion with us as we are Spalding Town Forum. We are Spalding councillors and they need to work with us and deliver what we want to see in the area or elsewhere if we wish to change or tweak that project.”
Coun Taylor gave the meeting an update on the improvements taken place in the town.
This includes the £20million Levelling Up money to transform the Castle Sports Complex and the improvements to the bus station and cemetery.
He also said that council officers are speaking to contractors about plans to improve the planters in the town centre.
Coun Dave Ashby asked what had happened to the money which had been ring fenced to fund a bandstand at Ayscoughfee Gardens.