PLANS to move artwork commemorating Barnsley soldiers lost in the Battle of the Somme have been delayed until council officers can establish who will be responsible for its upkeep.
The art, Light Lines by artists musson+retallick, was on display in front of the town hall last year. Positive public reaction and national recognition meant council bosses took the decision to find the illuminated glass images of the soldiers a new permanent home in the borough.
The council's planning board heard plans to locate them within Churchfield Peace Gardens, adjacent to the road near to the statue of Dickie Bird, at their meeting on Tuesday. But concerns from Central ward Coun Martin Dyson about who would be responsible for maintaining the artwork after it was relocated have led to the decision to be postponed until a solution is found.
Coun Dyson said: "I have no objection to the relocation. My concern is the Peace Gardens are maintained by volunteers. Is there any plans for maintenance and upkeep? I don't want the responsibility to fall back on the volunteers and become a financial burden to them."
Planning officer Andrew Burton said maintenance provision fell outside the planning realm, and was the responsibility of the applicant - in this case, the Barnsley Council arts and events officer. Planning chairman Coun Doug Birkinshaw said: "There is no way to stop vandalism happening but we don't want once it does occur for them to be forgotten.
"We want somebody to take them on for prosperity and not see them fall into wrack and ruin. Somebody needs to accept some responsibility for looking after them as it would be a shame to see them destroyed. There is no way the Peace Gardens volunteers could afford it.
"The artwork is a good thing, it should be seen, but I don't think it should be the volunteers' responsibility to maintain it."
The poignant artwork, commissioned by the council, was on display in front of the town hall from July 1 until Remembrance Sunday last year to reflect the length of the battle in which more than 800 Barnsley men were killed. It depicted images of local men who fell in battle on the first day and went on to win national praise with a Civic Trust Award.
It was only ever meant to be temporary but property design and management organisation NPS Barnsley is sponsoring the artwork so it can go on display and be enjoyed for years to come.
