Scaffolding will go up at Shrewsbury's Lord Hill statue
Scaffolding is due to go up around Shrewsbury's crumbling Lord Hill statue – although it is not yet known how much the emergency measure will cost the county's taxpayers.
The work is taking place ahead of a decision over whether the 199-year-old statue will be removed or repaired later in the year.
Officials from Shropshire Council could not say what the final bill for the temporary scaffolding will be.
An authority spokesman said: "It's too early to say how much the scaffolding is likely to cost as this will depend on a number of factors that are unknown at this stage, including what design – and how much scaffolding – is used, and how long the scaffolding is in place for."
Shropshire Council bosses said scaffolding will be going up in preparation for a decision on whether the statue will either be repaired or replaced later in the year.
They have ruled out the option of covering the statue in netting, claiming the option would be 'costly and difficult to do safely'.
A spokesman said the scaffolding will go up 'as soon as possible', once a suitable design has been agreed.
After the scaffolding goes up, the safety fencing which has been placed around the statue will be reduced.
Rob Wagstaffe, property service manager with Shropshire Council, said: "Whether we end up repairing or replacing the statue, we'll need to erect scaffolding around the column.
"So, by doing it now, we'll be able to get to the top to make the statue safe in the short-term, reduce the safety fencing that surrounds the Column, and ensure that the scaffolding is already in place when long-term work begins."
The Column has been surrounded by safety fencing since pieces of stone fell down from the statue in April 2012 and once again in December 2012.
Conservation experts Taylor Pearce carried out an inspection of the statue in November 2012 to assess its condition at that time and to suggest future options.
Yesterdays article in the Shropshire Star incorrectly stated that a £20,000 survey on the state of Lord Hill statue was due to be carried out in the next few weeks. We have been asked to point out the survey has in fact already been carried out.
