By Council spent £19k on Cleethorpes White Palm
North East Lincolnshire Council have spent at least £19,000 on the controversial White Palm sculpture which failed to come into fruition.
The project was funded for by CoastNEL in the form of a Coastal Communities funding grant.
The council received a £3.8m grant, and approved plans for the 72ft-tall palm tree in March 2020 as part of a wider regeneration plan for Cleethorpes’ North Promenade.
But the project was immediately met with controversy.
Speaking when the plans were announced, one resident said: “What a complete waste of money! Updated and well-maintained toilets at that end of the promenade would do far more good for trade and tourism.”
“Is it right for the Council to spend money on the sculpture of a palm tree that has no relevance to Cleethorpes, when the money could be better spent on the disabled facilities for residents and visitors to Cleethorpes,” asked another.
Former Councillor John Fenty said: “Public art can often be very controversial. My guess is that roughly 60% think it is a good idea, 20% are there to be convinced, and 20% would say ‘over my dead body’.
“It might interest you to know, that this is one part of a five-strand project to be installed on the North Prom, all intended to help drive additional footfall and support businesses.”
After a number of delays due to the pandemic, the council estimated that price increases would see the project cost an additional £170,000.
As a result, the proposal was axed completely.
It has now been revealed that despite the project not going ahead, it has already cost at least £19k.
North East Lincolnshire Council confirmed that the escalating prices were the result of “COVID delays” and rising “material prices”.
According to the council, the money which has already been spent covered “artist fees, consultation work and design planning”
Paving slabs indicating the distance to the White Palm have also been introduced.
When asked whether there were plans to remove the slabs, a spokesperson said: “The paving markers were put in as part of the overall enhancement of the North Prom, and were originally indeed to provide distance markers to the White Palm.
“However, we’ve seen that people are using them to time themselves for sprints and longer runs, which was the secondary purpose of the markers.
“We’ve considered taking them up, but they are doing their intended job, and have decided to leave them in rather than waste money unnecessarily.”
