Melksham Town Council are pleased to announce that the Avon War Memorial will be moving to its new home in Queen Mary Garden, Bath Road, on Tuesday 24th September2024.
Representatives from both Goodyear and Melksham Town Council will be present to oversee the relocation which will be undertaken by licensed contractors using a HIAB(lorry-mounted crane).
The motion to acquire the Avon War Memorial was originally brought to The Economic Development and Planning Committee on Tuesday 30th January 2024 by Councillor Tom Price, where it was unanimously resolved for Melksham Town Council to take ownership of the memorial from Wiltshire Council. The resolution to enter a licence agreement with Wiltshire Council was then confirmed by the same Committee on Tuesday 23rd April 2024.
The consensus at this meeting was to store the memorial where it could still be viewed by former Avon/Cooper Tires employees, as well as the wider community until such time as an alternative site was identified. Queen Mary Garden was chosen as the most suitable venue until a decision was made regarding its final location.
Melksham Town Council Amenities Team started preparing for its relocation to Queen Mary Garden back in April 2024, however when contractors attempted to remove the memorial from the ground it was embedded with a more substantial base than was expected.
There were then delays in securing the appropriate removal licence and co-ordinating a date where all relevant parties could be present for the relocation.
Officers have now been able to confirm the date for the relocation and look forward to seeing the Avon War Memorial proudly on display in its new home.
Melksham Town Council apologise for the delay and for any distress caused in this process.
For more information, Melksham Town Council can be contacted via email at towncouncil@melksham-tc.gov.uk or by phone on 01225 704 187.
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