To provide Cabinet with an update regarding the proposal to erect a Covid 19 Memorial within the District of Tendring.

RESOLVED that –

(a)    the contents of this report be noted;

(b)    external funding streams continue to be pursued to install a piece of public art within the District as opportunities arise;

(c)    if successful a more general piece of public art, rather than a Covid-19 memorial maybe more likely as the availability of external funding streams appear to be linked to economic growth and tourism;

(d)    the Council’s general fund is not considered as the appropriate funding route for this project in light of current budgetary pressures; and

(e)    theAnglefield, Clacton-on-Sea site be approved for the installation of a piece of public art, if future funding can be secured.

Cabinet considered a report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.8), which updated it regarding the proposal to erect a Covd-19 Memorial within the District of Tendring.

Members recalled that, further to the decision taken by Full Council at its meeting held on 30 November 2021 (Minute 94 referred), the Leader of the Council had informed Cabinet at its meeting held on 25 February 2022, that he had requested the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships (Councillor Lynda McWilliams) to work with Councillors Mark Stephenson and Gina Placey on the installation of a Covid-19 Memorial and to report back to Cabinet in due course. He had urged them to ‘think positive and think big’ and gave by way of an example of a public art project the “Angel of the North”.

Following this Officers and the aforementioned Councillors had worked together to explore the relevance and need for a large piece of public art to reflect on lives lost and changed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of a piece of prominent art would be to provide communities with a space to reflect how those communities had supported each other during times of challenge and uncertainty and to create a space to represent lives lost. This work had included background research, site visits and a bid to the Arts Council for funding.

Acknowledging that:-

1)  the working group of Councillors had identified that Clacton-on-Sea, with the largest population in the District should be identified as the preferred area for the installation of the piece of public art; and

2)  that following a visit to various sites across Clacton-on-Sea with the Head of Public Realm a potential site had been identified at Anglefield. This site required improvement but had the necessary space to install a piece of public art which could be viewed by residents and visitors to the District.

It was moved by Councillor McWilliams, seconded by Councillor Bray and:-

RESOLVED that –

(a)    the contents of this report be noted;

(b)    external funding streams continue to be pursued to install a piece of public art within the District as opportunities arise;

(c)    if successful a more general piece of public art, rather than a Covid-19 memorial maybe more likely as the availability of external funding streams appear to be linked to economic growth and tourism;

(d)    the Council’s general fund is not considered as the appropriate funding route for this project in light of current budgetary pressures; and

(e)    theAnglefield, Clacton-on-Sea site be approved for the installation of a piece of public art, if future funding can be secured.