Agenda item

To make a recommendation to Cabinet in relation to the Lower Sunbury Lendy memorial Lion.

The (Joint) Group Head Community Wellbeing introduced the report and explained that the Committee needed to consider two issues; the report written about the Lendy memorial by Alan Doyle and to recommend to Cabinet a course of action based on the information currently available and whether to accept the offer of supporting an application to the Arts and Humanities Research Council for a grant to undertake further research on the Lendy statue.

The Committee scrutinised the officers report and discussed each issue in turn.

On the first issue Members noted the online petition to save the Lendy Memorial had over 2,100 signatures and that the local community had expressed their support for the Memorial in posts on the Council’s social media accounts.

The Committee felt strongly that the Council should listen to the community and ensure the memorial remain in situ with the coverings removed.

Members noted that the police had contacted officers and advised them to protect the memorial as there were concerns for its safety but agreed they did not believe there was any evidence to suggest the memorial was in danger at present. Members discussed the possibility of installing CCTV at the site but concluded it was not necessary.

Members strongly agreed that they would like information to be provided about the memorial in an appropriate format at the site. 

Members noted the academics proposal and their intention to carry out the research with or without the Council’s support.

The Committee thanked Mr Doyle for his thorough, impartial, and considered report which informed the debate and concluded that the memorial was erected by the local community in remembrance of two local brothers who fought in wars and distinguished themselves on the continent of Africa in the 19th century.

On the second issue,  members agreed that they would like information to be provided about the memorial in an appropriate format at the site. Some members queried the provenance of the academics, who were reported to specialise in the history of North East  Africa and the Caribbean, whereas the Lendy brothers had been posted to South East Africa.

The Committee were divided on the matter. Some members considered that Mr Doyle’s report covered the points listed for research in the academics’ proposal whilst others thought the Council should consider information provided from all sources.

The Committee noted that legislation is proposed to ensure that decisions on statues are made locally after public consultation.

The Committee, whilst resolving to provide a letter of support for the academics, did so by a tight margin of 7 votes to 5 with two members choosing to abstain.

The Committee resolved to make the following recommendations to Cabinet:

Recommendation 1:

i.        The Council supports the views of residents, as expressed in the petition. The statue should immediately be uncovered and left in place.

ii.        The Council provides at the site a plaque containing historical information, with more detailed information available, for example through a QR code.

iii.        The Committee agrees that the Council works with local informed sources and their wealth of information so other suggestions for ensuring access to detailed background information can be pursued, such as a booklet in the Embroidery Gallery and the involvement of the well-respected local history society.

Recommendation 2:

i.        Spelthorne provides a letter of support for the proposed application to the Arts and Humanities Research Council for a grant for academics to undertake further research on the Lendy statue.

ii.        Should any new information come to light the Council will review it and come to its own decision.

iii.        That this resolution should not delay the actions proposed in recommendation 1.