A summary of the Paul Stainton Breakfast Show from BBC Radio Peterborough broadcast Wednesday 28th 2010. News travel weather and interviews.
Topics:
Goldhay Arts charity for people with learning difficulties may close after sudden news of a £44,000 deficit.
An ownership and maintenance dispute breaks out over the controversial Perkins Eye roundabout sculpture.
The election debate is dominated by an alarming Institute of Fiscal Studies prognosis on the economy.
The Peterborough Festival line-up is announced and features Stavros Flatley , Terry Jones and Nicole Lawrence.
The Great Eastern Run puts out a call for live bands to volunteer to play along the route.
A Whittlesea Park Lane Primary School teacher finally returns from her Gambian exchange after ash-cloud delays.
Interviewees:
Robert Erskine Sculptor.
Stuart Hamilton Peterborough City Council Great Eastern Run.
Alex Kitch Primary Whittlesea Park Lane School Teacher.
Ed Murphy Labour Parliamentary Candidate.
Dave King Peterborough Festival Organiser
Hugh Cripps Peterborough Environment City Trust.
Sarah Burckitt Goldhay Arts.
Jeff Stebbings Gardening Answers Magazine.
Mentioned:
Perkins Engines.
Team:
Guest Presenter: Andy Gall
Producer: Ben Stevenson
Sport: Peter Swann
News: Suzi Roberts
Travel: Justin Peterson
Weather: Chris Bell
Phones: Kerry Devine
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Goodbye Mr Cripps
Blowing my own Trumpet, I am jazz trumpet player, I learnt from an early age play too loudly and the sound becomes discordant, the emotion and meaning is lost. Similarly the current big noise created by PECT – Peterborough Environmental City Trust, over my sculpture Power Rhythm, is so distorted that the important element is lost.
The City of Peterborough has an enviable asset, uniquely compared to other UK cities, it’s numerous sculptures, and the sculpture collection curated by the Peterborough Sculpture Trust. These public artworks contribute to a sense of place, of life, human expression in its many forms. Civic pride is a reflection from the heart of the residents and communities whose town centers, and cities provide for trade, leisure, and a feeling of character and belonging. All of this is under the auspices of civic organisations. That Hugh Cripps CEO of PECT has this week on BBC Radio and Television, stated that he has been unawares of any adverse issues over the condition of Power Rhythm, indicates his lack of concern for the look of his city, and its public features. His dismissive remarks, I am simply orchestrating ‘Tittles Tattle’ is insulting to the people of Peterborough. That I have received significant sums for its design and creation is absurd.
Power Rhythm won a national competition for the design of a significant Landmark sculpture for the people of Peterborough, the work force at Perkins Diesel Facility, and contributes to the Sustrans cycle route, marking the New Millennium. The Millennium Commission, the National Lottery, and Perkins Diesel Engines funded it. Power Rhythm would be assigned to PECT and Peterborough City Council. I provided PECT with an engineers report and technical manual including minimal maintenance procedures. The sculpture is maintenance free other than checking the long life light bulbs, and removal of any Graffiti with correct solvent. It is designed to last in excess of 200 years.
Within a year since Power Rhythm was sited at the Eye Roundabout, I asked PECT to resolve three issues, all affecting my design rights, the lighting, it has never been installed and connected, graffiti has altered the look and design of the sculpture, the gravel around its base kicked away. PECT has maintained it is not their responsibility and had no knowledge of a technical manual. A copy manual was duly provided. To date all three issues remain unresolved despite numerous requests.
Hugh Cripps stated this week that he owns the sculpture. By this admission it is part of Peterborough’s Public Realm, and therefore needs to be kept in a condition that justifies its role, contributing to the heritage and culture of Peterborough. The responsibility for this is with Mr. Cripps. He represents an organisation that promotes sustainability, yet with consummate ease is not sustaining Power Rhythm. Mr. Cripps is making a big noise about Robert Erskine and meanwhile he is conveniently avoiding remedying the problems, and by doing so adversely affecting Peterborough’s civic visual quality.
It is shameful and unacceptable that when compared to other EEC towns and cities, Peterborough is looked after by senior executives who are happy to provide the tatty, dirty, defaced look of its Public Realm, which the minority of authors whose postings in the Peterborough Evening Telegraph, demand.
On your Breakfast show Mr. Cripps compared me to the Parisian crook that tried to sell to unsuspecting American tourists the Eiffel Tower. At the least the French make sure the Tower is illuminated and graffiti free. In the meantime we have a sculpture cleaner whose botched attempts to remove the graffiti has caused damage, and whose identity will forever remain a mystery. He was on site Monday evening, 26th April, before BBC TV arrived Tuesday morning. Mr. Cripps and Peterborough Council perversely have no knowledge of who requested the clean up.
Due to PECT’S continual denial of ownership, Mr. Cripps needs to provide me with a document proving he is an assignee of Power Rhythm, and will therefore rectify the issues. Otherwise, I will remove the sculpture to the custody of the overseas collector.
Good Bye Mr Cripps.
Robert Erskine