Police appeal against rejection of art plan

Police have appealed against the rejection of the artwork they were going to put outside Bilston's new police station.

A £30,000 piece was demanded under controversial section 106 agreements that force developers to pay for public benefits.

But the designs were thrown out by council planners after dozens of complaints from residents that the fingerprint-style statues meant nothing to the area. West Midlands Police's decision to appeal was criticised and there were claims the force needed to come up with something the community wanted. The 30 sculptures were meant to depict "the hand of the law".

They would have ranged in size from 25in to 4ft.

West Midlands Police have already spent £20,000 on preliminary work which will be wasted if the appeal fails.

There has been criticism of section 106 agreements, which oblige developers to pay for parks, art and social housing, because they make projects less profitable and put builders off starting work. Wolverhampton Business Group, a pro-enterprise lobby group, has said section 106 agreements should be cancelled.

Tory councillors and one Labour member of the planning committee of Wolverhampton City Council voted in January to reject the designs for sculpture at the £3.5 million Oxford Street station, which opened in December.

The designs were criticised by 40 people who formally objected and claimed they had no idea what the pieces were supposed to represent.

Bilston councillor Steve Simkins said: "They left consultation to the last minute, threw the gauntlet down to the community and expected everyone to just say 'oh, very nice'." Planning committee chairman Councillor Judith Rowley had voted in favour of the scheme.

Robert Graves, head of property services at the force, said a consultation had been held and that most people who had responded had been in favour.