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Friday 6th January, 2006

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Ken prepares to take on Prescott

Mayor looks to fight Mandela statue veto

THE Mayor of London is meeting with lawyers to consider an appeal against the government’s decision to stop his plans for a statue of Nelson Mandela on the north terrace of Trafalgar Square.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ruled before Christmas that placing Ian Walters’s sculpture on the terrace outside the National Gallery would have “an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance” of the square and its use as a venue for public events.
And Mr Prescott urged Ken Livingstone and Westminster Council to “work together to seek an alternative site for the statue within Trafalgar Square”.
The council maintains that the statue would be best sited outside South Africa House.
In his report, planning inspector Roger Brown said: “The symmetrical layout of the north terrace is an essential part of the wider symmetry of the central part of Trafalgar Square.
“It is considered that the introduction of any permanent structure on the terrace is unacceptable”.
The inspector also remarked that the statue would have to be boarded up for protection for more than 30 days every year during large events in the square.
He wrote: “When the eyes of the world would be on London, a statue to a highly respected international statesman could well be hidden from view within a protective timber screen.
“Such a situation could well be misconstrued as an indignity to the subject.”
The chairman of trustees for the National Gallery Peter Scott wrote to Mr Prescott on November 28, two months after the hearing, saying the proposal statue would prevent the gallery’s plans for a staircase coming from the portico leading to Trafalgar Square.
However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister insists that the decision was not swayed by this correspondence. ODPM decision officer Elizabeth Sealey said the proposal would be an unnecessary and unjustified obstruction to the use of the square
Now the Mayor’s office is considering whether to pursue an appeal in the High Court.
In a statement, Mr Livingstone’s office said: “As the authority responsible for re-vamping the square we strongly disagree with the suggestion that the statue would detract from the appearance or character of the square.
“On the contrary, a statue of the man who symbolises one of the most importance struggles for justice in the 20th century would enhance the character of the square.
“Equally as the body which authorises events on Square we strongly disagree with the idea that the statue would have a negative impact on the planning or events in the square. We will be seeking legal advice with regard to this decision.”

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