Locals slam council over £43k ‘pointless’ papier mache animal statues (2025)

The statues were slammed as (Image: Spalding Guardian/SWNS)

Locals in a UK market town have slammed "pointless and bizarre" animal statues that they say are a waste of £43,000 of taxpayer funds. The stone sculptures were designed by British artist Graeme Mitcheson to celebrate the agricultural heritage of Spalding, Lincolnshire. However, residents have suggested that the expensive installations look like they were "made of papier mache" instead. Mitcheson was reportedly given £43,000 to create the Lincoln red cattle and long wool sheep statues through a grant from the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund, distributed by the local council.

But Spalding residents have hit out at the "waste" of thousands of pounds that could have gone towards fixing other issues in the "run-down town” including its highways, schools and healthcare. "There are far better things the council could be allocating money towards," life-long local Frank Caswell, 48, said. "We've got crumbling roads and potholes that need fixing, or [they could] invest it into our schools or NHS."

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The cow and sheep sculptures were commissioned to celebrate Spalding's agricultural history (Image: Spalding Guardian/SWNS)

"To top if off, they just don't look very good," he added. "I just find them a little bizarre."

"As a local born and bred, I totally appreciate Spalding's market town history, however [the statues] will be vandalised and they look like they've just been dumped in the town," Julie Pickering added in a post on Facebook.

"No thought has gone into this," she said, branding it "a total waste of money".

Meanwhile, fellow resident Greg Weedon criticised the installation as a "vanity project", adding: "Maybe this money should have been spent on policing or education or other things lacking in Spalding."

Others were more positive, however, with Sarah Horne describing the animals as "super cute" and "a nice little addition to brighten the town up a bit".

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"Why are the people of Spalding so negative?" Peter Norris asked. "I love going to towns that have different things to see, and it represents the town's history. Personally I love them."

Spalding has been a leading agricultural hub in Britain for centuries thanks to its fertile farmland and waterways, with a particular concentration of food production in the South Holland area.

Benjamin Elks, grassroots development officer at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers are fed up seeing their hard-earned money spent on vanity projects while essential services are under pressure.

"Dropping £43,000 on stone sheep and cattle might be cute for selfies, but it's no comfort to residents dealing with potholes and council tax hikes. Instead of carving up public funds for pet projects, local leaders should focus on fixing what really matters."

South Holland District Council and the Spalding and District Civic Society have been contact for comment.