Councillors back plans to move Exeter’s General Buller statue following review

Review concludes 1905 monument is ‘inappropriate because it is outside an education establishment, which includes young people from diverse backgrounds’

Estimates say relocating the Grade II listed statue and plinth would cost a minimum of £25,000 (Derek Harper/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Councillors in Exeter have voted to back plans that could lead to the relocation of a statue to General Sir Redvers Buller.

The vote followed a review launched last year into the “continued appropriateness” of the monument to the army general due to his connection to the British Empire and colonialism. Some have also alleged General Buller had a hand in the creation of British “concentration camps”.

The review concluded the current location of the 1905 statue, which stands outside the entrance to Exeter College, was "inappropriate because it is outside an educational establishment, which includes young people from diverse backgrounds."

It also recommended that the statue should not be hidden but instead should be placed somewhere public with information boards.

Exeter City Council’s executive unanimously supported the review’s recommendation on Tuesday night, though any final decision if planning permission were granted would need to be made by the full council.

The statue is also considered controversial because of the names carved on the plinth of colonial campaigns which sought to advance British imperialist interests in other countries.

Estimates say relocating the Grade II listed statue and plinth would cost a minimum of £25,000.

Council leader Phil Bialyk said he had received a similar number of emails in favour and against relocating the statue.

“We have not voted to remove it. There is a recommendation that we seek to relocate it in another place," he said in a statement.

“Before we can do that there would need to be a formal planning application. That’s when we would have a full public debate and consultation, where we will again listen to what everyone has to say.

“Once we have done that it would then need to return to council for any decision.

“There are strong views on this and many of the emails I am receiving assume a decision has already been made. It hasn’t.”

Mr Bialyk added: “I don’t want to see the history of my city cast aside. What I want is for it to be seen from a modern perspective going forward, so my children and grandchildren can understand what happened all those years ago and to reflect on it, and to learn from our history.”