Oakham Queen statue to be moved behind library amidst concern it could distract drivers
There's concern it would be a cause of crashes
Last updated 27th Sep 2023
A statue of Queen Elizabeth II will be positioned behind the library in Oakham to avoid it causing car crashes.
The bronze memorial of the late monarch, who died in September last year, was going to be in front of Oakham Library in Catmose Street.
But members of Rutland County Council planning committee were told at a meeting last week that it might be a distraction to drivers.
The committee was also told the statue will be a bit shorter than originally planned, with the height of the base plinth reduced.
A peacock sculpture will be moved to make way for the Queen and three corgis.
The statue is costing £125,000 mainly being paid for by donations.
Concern is still being raised over who will maintain the statue however.
Resident Rosemary Whittaker, who opposes the statue, was concerned about who would own and maintain it once the person behind the idea, Lord Lieutenant of Rutland Dr Sarah Furness, is no longer in the post.
“The county council has said it won’t maintain it. The town council has said it won’t maintain it. Is the Lord Lieutenant able to pass this obligation on with no funds to the next post-holder? I wonder if there should be a condition that talks about how this could be looked at in perpetuity?”
She added that objecting was not being disloyal to the late monarch’s memory, or the current royal family, but that “the statue is out of place in a cost of living crisis, and out of place in our lovely town.”
Former mayor of Oakham, Joyce Lucas, spoke in support of the statue and, having carried out an ad hoc survey of Rutlanders, said people felt the statue will bring visitors to Oakham.
She said: “It will be a fitting memorial to our late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and we should be proud that the money has been raised by private subscription – yet another indication of the love and respect for our beloved, late Queen. Therefore, I, and many, many others, agree that this project should proceed.”