Council call extraordinary meeting as row breaks out over painted fish sculpture
A controversy has erupted in a North Staffordshire village over a newly-painted sculpture and bench, prompting the parish council to call an extraordinary meeting to discuss the issue.
The sculpture and bench, carved from a centuries-old chestnut tree, were dedicated to former borough mayor Barry Panter and have become a point of contention among villagers, with some calling for the paint to be removed and others defending the new design.
Newcastle Borough Council has stated that it regards the bench and sculpture as a personal project for some parish councillors and considers the debate over their appearance to be a local matter, while villagers remain divided on the issue, with some arguing that the paint removes the link to their heritage and others seeing it as a matter of personal preference.