Frustration as Hunslet war memorial stays behind a fence

Councillors and residents have reacted with anger and frustration at the lack of progress to move the war memorial stone and cross from the base of the fenced-off Hunslet Spire to the land next to it owned by the Council.

This would then allow proper public access to remember the community’s honoured dead.

Cllr Paul Wray and Cllr Mohammed Iqbal (Labour, Hunslet and Riverside) have shared their frustration with the lack of progress.

Cllr Paul Wray said:

“When it was clear the spire base would not become accessible, Mohammed and I pledged funding to allow the stones to be moved to a public location. It was agreed the green space, which was formally a burial area next to the spire, would be an agreeable location.

“Funding has since been provided, and internal Council processes followed to gain consent to use the land. This has now been granted. The Diocese had originally provided consent, and the hope was to move the stone before Remembrance Day 2024.

“Only now have we found out, after several attempts to gain an update, that the Diocese has now withdrawn its permission, and this has now been handed to the local PCC to decide on.

“No update was provided to the council or residents, and several months on, we’re still in limbo. What is going on?”

Councillors say they are calling on the PCC to decide on what it wants quickly as the cost of moving process only increases with further delays.

Kenny Saunders, Chair of the Hunslet Carr Residents Association, said:

“Since St Mary’s closed in 2015 and was subsequently demolished, the Hunslet Carr Residents Association (HCRA) has campaigned tirelessly to have the memorial stones moved to an accessible location within Hunslet.

“The Diocese has, in our view, been very unsupportive and at times has given conflicting misinformation.
“We have exhausted every avenue open to us currently. We feel the Diocese is failing to support the parish and community.

“The 409 men who gave their lives in two world wars deserve to be respectfully remembered.”

Soiuth Leeds Life also approached Cllr Ed Carlisle (Green, Hunslet & Riverside) for comment, he said:

“The St Mary’s spire, and the WW1 memorial stones, are such important icons for Hunslet. Thanks and credit to those who’ve battled to put them in the spotlight, and are now looking to create this new memorial garden, and also develop a positive long-term future for the spire and the land around it. These things take time, it’s frustrating, but I trust that together, we can and will get there. Hunslet deserves nothing less.”

This post is based on a press release issued by Cllr Paul Wray and Cllr Mohammed Iqbal

Photo: Google

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