MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL

Stan Hollis Memorial

Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, Lewis Young

Executive Directorfor Economic Development & Communities, Kevin Parkes

Wednesday 19th August, 2015

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

  1. Stanley Hollis, D-Day’s only Victoria Cross winner, was born in Middlesbrough in 1912. It is intended to recognise Stan’s bravery in World War II through a commemorative memorial, which will be positioned next to the War Memorial (Cenotaph) outside the Dorman Museum. The Stanley Hollis V.C. Memorial Fund Committee was established by campaigner Mr Brian Bage, who has raised the funds for the erection of the memorial. Approval is sought for the final design and location, and for the Council to maintain it thereafter.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. It is recommended that:

a)approval is given for the Stan Hollis memorial to be erected on Middlesbrough Council land; and,

b)that Middlesbrough Council maintains the memorial upon completion.

IF THIS IS A KEY DECISION WHICH KEY DECISION TEST APPLIES?

It is over the financial threshold (£150,000)
It has a significant impact on 2 or more wards
Non Key / X

DECISION IMPLEMENTATION DEADLINE

  1. For the purposes of the scrutiny call in procedure this report is

Non-urgent / X
Urgent report

If urgent please give full reasons

BACKGROUND AND EXTERNAL CONSULTATION

  1. A request was made to the Councilby Mr Bage in March 2010 for a memorial to Stan Hollis. The original letter was sent to Councillor Rostron, and subsequent letters were sent to the former Mayor; winning his support in principle.
  1. Stan Hollis, born in Archibald Street, Middlesbrough was recommended twice for his actions on 6 June, 1944. Sergeant Major Hollis from the Green Howard regiment was a former steelworker and lorry driver. He braved a wall of heavy machine gun fire, twice, during the landings that led to the end of World War II and was wounded so many times he was branded “the man they couldn’t kill”.
  1. Mr Bage, a retired business man from Guisborough, met Stan Hollis many times when he worked at Lloyds Bank in the 1960s. Since 2010, Mr Bage has tirelessly campaigned for a memorial and as a result,has successfully raised the £150,000 required for its construction. The majority of this sum has come from Impetus Environmental Trust, who awarded the committee £120,000 for the project. Middlesbrough Council has not financially contributed to the project, though officer time has been provided gratis in helping to design the scheme.

Design and Location

  1. The proposed location for the memorial ison Council land near the Cenotaph on Linthorpe Road (please appendix 1).
  1. Alternative locations, such as in the town centre on the pedestrianised intersection between Corporation and Linthorpe Roads have been explored and discounted. It is felt the setting outside the Dorman Museum and Albert Park is suitably attractive and visible enough; the memorial would be complemented by the Cenotaph, and it is the key location in the town where the military’s importance and sacrifices are formally recognised. The location is currently a flowerbed which is planted and maintained by Area Care.
  1. The memorial will commemorate the D-Day landings along with all the Victorian Crosses awarded to the Green Howard regiment. The centrepiece will feature a larger than lifesize bronze sculpture of Stan Hollis depicting the wartime hero on D-Day, crouching and alert. Last November a full-size clay cast of the statue of Hollis was unveiled by sculptor Brian Alabaster (please see appendix 2).
  1. Transport and Infrastructure have been consulted on the specification and technical aspects,and as a result, changes have been made to the paving to ensure it is safe for people to walk over. The scheme was given planning approval in November 2013, but the conditions were only recently discharged by Development Control.

Construction

  1. PX Engineering Consultants Ltd.have been project managing the scheme on behalf of Mr Bage and arranged the relevant contracts for the memorial’s construction. The contracts come with the benefit of a one year warranty.
  1. Work on the bronze statue is underway and Stockton firm Hobson Smith Construction have been appointed to carry out all the civil work, drainage, foundations and paving and EB Granite, from Peterlee, will construct the surrounding wall including the plaques depicting the Normandy beaches. The materials; principally stone and granite, have been ordered.
  1. It is hoped that construction on site can commence imminently when the materials are available, in order for the statue to be unveiled in November this year.

Post Construction

  1. The intention is for the memorial to be gifted to Middlesbrough Council for nil consideration once it is complete. Transfer of ownership would be after the work has been completed to the satisfaction of both the Council (Transport and Infrastructure will inspect the memorial) and Stan Hollis V.C. Fund Committee.
  1. The Council’s Legal Department drafted an agreement in June 2014 which sets out the principles by which the Council isprepared to adopt the memorial (please see appendix 3). There has been a delay between this agreement being signed and discharging of the planning conditions due tofinal fundraising. It is recommended, however, that this agreement is upheld by the Council.
  1. It will be necessary for the contracts with Hobson Smith and EB Granite, and any other relevant contracts, to be novated to the Council once the construction is complete so that the one year warranty period becomes the benefit of the Council’s. The Stan Hollis V.C. Fund Memorial Committee will remain responsible and liable for ensuring the Impetus funding terms and conditions have been complied with.
  1. Ultimately, the Council will be responsible for the memorial’s maintenance. Due to the robust nature of the materials, it is anticipated the maintenance will be kept to a minimum - it can be tied into the maintenance regime of the Cenotaph and will be met from existing budgets. In general, such memorials command people’s respect and hence there isless risk of deliberate damage and graffiti.
  1. It will also be necessary to take out separate insurance for the memorial.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT (IA)

  1. An Impact Assessment screening form has been completed (Appendix 4) and no negative impacts have been identified.

OPTION APPRAISAL/RISK ASSESSMENT

  1. Approve the design, use of Council land and maintenance (recommended option) – The scheme has previously had political support, plus in offering Council land and maintenance, the Council would be honouring one of its most famous sons. This relatively small contribution to the memorial would allow the project to be delivered without delay.
  1. Do not approve the design, use of Council land and maintenance – The design has been pulled together with this location in mind, it has planning approval and is acceptable to the relevant Council departments. Its positionalso complements the Cenotaph. Thus far, the Council has not committed any funding to the scheme (other than officer time) and the committee has raised £150,000. Alternative locations have been considered and discounted thus a new location would not be easy to find and it is highly unlikely that the committee would be able to raise extra funding for maintenance. It is therefore felt appropriate that the Council accepts that the memorial willbe erected on its land and upholds the agreement on the maintenance, which will be minimal. The Stan Hollis memorial has been a relatively high profile scheme and there is a risk it would not be perceived favourably if the Council revoked its support.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND WARD IMPLICATIONS

  1. Financial –There will be a minimal cost to maintain the memorial which will be met by the relevant department.
  1. Ward Implications –The memorial will be for the benefit of the town and its people, but will be sited in the Park Ward.
  1. Members have been involved in discussions and correspondence about the memorial in the past, including the former Mayor, Ray Mallon, and Executive Members Charles Rooney and Julia Rostron. A briefing paper was considered by Councillor Rooney recommending approval in principle to support the request for the memorial and officers work on the detailed design and location, with a view to bringing it back for Executive Member final approval.
  1. Legal Implications –Ownership will transfer to the Council together with the benefit of all rights, liabilities and privileges associated therewith. The Council will accept in perpetuity all responsibility for the maintenance, cleaning and repair of the statue. The transfer of ownership will only occur once the relevant technical officers have inspected the statue and are satisfied that it has been built to the correct specification and standard.
RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. It is recommended that:

c)approval is given for the Stan Hollis memorial to be erected on Middlesbrough Council land; and,

d)that Middlesbrough Council maintains the memorial upon completion.

REASONS
  1. Stan Hollis was born in Middlesbrough and his bravery and significant achievements should be honoured. It is commendable that the money for the memorial has been raised without financial support from the Council, thus it is felt befitting that the Council contributes its land and agrees to maintain the memorial, thus allowing it to be constructed without delay.
BACKGROUND PAPERS

No background papers were used in the preparation of this report.

AUTHOR: Charlotte Considine

TEL NO: 01642 729636

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Website:

Appendix 1 – Site Location

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Appendix 2 – Design of the Memorial

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Appendix 3 – Agreement

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