By Julie Waters
CONCERNS have been raised that three bespoke sculptures, destined for Bangor seafront and with a £1.3m ‘price tag’, are ‘not value for money’.
DUP councillors Robert Adair and Naomi Armstrong-Cotter both voiced their reservations about the public money awarded for the three sculptures set to be installed on Bangor’s revamped seafront.
The sculptures, by acclaimed Bangor artist Colin Davidson, will consist of three large scale bronze hands that will create the shapes of a dove, a swan and a crab.
Controversy has dogged the scheme after it was revealed that the large sum of public money was awarded for the commission without any public debate. There was also concern that the contract for the sculptures was granted without a public tender process.
The council has since confirmed that following consultation with the principal funder, the Department for Communities (DfC), the local authority commissioned Mr Davidson via a direct award.
According to the DfC, the total cost of the Bangor installations is estimated to be in the region of £1.287m, of which the Stormont department will contribute £1.05m with the remainder of the funding met by the council.
Some local politicians voiced their concerns about the project, as a report detailing how the sculptures are moving through the planning process was presented to the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee.
Alderman Adair registered his fiscal fears saying: “I cast my mind back to a number of years ago at this very committee, when we were discussing a sculpture for the most easterly point of the whole island of Ireland at Burr Point, Ballyhalbert.
“The existing sculpture there had been damaged due to coastal elements and it was going to cost £5,000 to put in a new one. The toing and froing in this committee, with members saying £5,000 was too much and here we have sculptures at over a million.”
Mr Adair said that he did not feel the sculptures were ‘value for money’ and he had been contacted by a number of local residents who agreed.
Alderman Armstrong-Cotter, from Newtownards, backed her party colleague, saying while she appreciated the value of the arts, when she looked at the sculpture’s ‘price tag’ she ‘could not support them’.
However Bangor Central councillor Craig Blaney backed the sculptures saying he is still ‘very happy’ with the progress of the sculptures.
“A lot of this money isn’t from the council and if we hadn’t moved on with this process, then £800,000 would have been lost to the borough,” he said.
The Ulster Unionist councillor said that had the council not availed of the art funding, then another borough would have benefited. Mr Blaney said the three sculptures, created by a world renowned artist, would be a focal point of the seafront.
In a vote, nine councillors supported approving the update report, whilst two were against and one abstained.
