'Outpouring of emotion': Walsall Council defends spending £35,000 on Queen Elizabeth II corgi statues - full statement here
Walsall Council has defended its decision to commission two corgi statues costing £35,000 of taxpayers money - even though some said the money 'could have been spent elsewhere'.
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The two five-foot corgis in Walsall Arboretum - unveiled on September 28 - have been questioned by locals due to the cost of them, as the spend came around the same time Walsall Council announced several cost-cutting proposals to balance the books next year – including a 4.99 per cent council tax hike.
Local artists, Julie Edwards and Ron Thompson of Planet Art, were commissioned by Walsall Council to create the memorial to the late Queen and to celebrate the Arboretum’s 150th anniversary.
In response to the backlash, the local authority said the corgi sculptures were a response to the ‘outpouring of emotion’ following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
A spokesperson for Walsall Council, said: “Following the death of our late Queen we all witnessed the response from the people of Walsall – hundreds of our residents came out and signed the books of condolence, many more laid flowers and others quietly reflected at home with their families and communities.
“In response to the outpouring of emotion – this administration decided that we should have a lasting memorial to the late Queen here in our borough. Local artists were asked to put forward their designs and we selected two artists from the borough to create the tributes.
“In collaboration with the Walsall Arboretum Users Group a suitable location for the statues has been found in the Arboretum. Funding for the statues of £35,000, were assigned from existing budgets and the project was managed through our chief officer delegations.”
Some residents remarked that the £35,000 price tag 'would have been better spent elsewhere'.
Tracey Wilkins, 55, of Blakenall, said: "I like them, but it's a bit controversial, isn't it? £35,000 the council spent on these sculptures. It could have just been better spent elsewhere.
"We have issues with potholes, fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, failing high streets. There's just better ways to spend £35,000 in Walsall."
But it was not all doom and gloom, as Jane Gough, 62, from Caldmore, said: "They're great. It's a great way to commemorate the late Queen.
"She loved corgis. She adored them. It's such a nice way to remember her memory."
