Anti-duck town scraps plans for ‘ludicrous' giant bird statue
For five long years,
Faced with an invasion of ducks, residents have attempted to lure them away with an artificial island, hired professional cleaners to dispose of droppings outside shops and even discussed a cull.
So plans for a 5ft duck statue – part of a sculpture trail branded 'Swaffham goes Quackers' – were always likely to trigger deep division.
The proposals were ultimately thrown out by a single vote in a meeting of the Norfolk town's council at which members warned that any embrace of the animals risked making them a 'laughing stock'.
Councillors feared the tourist attraction would expose them to ridicule, after spending years wanting to get rid of the birds for the 'mess' they left along the streets.
For half a decade residents have been divided on their web-footed neighbours. The town is thought to have at least 400 ducks residing among a population of 8,000 people.
While some families welcomed the birds into their gardens during the height of Covid lockdown, shopkeepers were forced to hire professional help to clean up their mess and combat 'health problems'.
At one point, eco-engineers created a giant floating island to try to entice the ducks away from homes at Swaffham's Northwell Pool. But the ducks refused to stay on the island causing some councillors to consider a cull.
Despite concerns over the havoc wrought by the animals, the town council was the recipient of a £2,000 Love Your Market Town (LYM) grant from Norfolk county council and Breckland district council for the project featuring the 5ft duck statue.
The town needed to raise an extra £250, as well as a potential extra £1,000 for painting the 'giant duck' as a community project.
Lindsay Beech, the town's deputy mayor, made the case for the statue and said: 'We have got the ducks, they are a unique selling point. I think we would be mad not to exploit this to be honest.'
Graham Edwards, a councillor, replied: 'Forget it – quite frankly, this is an embarrassment. The idea is absolutely ridiculous.'
Jill Skinner reminded members of the council's long-established troubled relationship with the birds. Questioning why a duck had been chosen, she said: 'We used to be a council that was against the ducks and in favour of killing them.'
Steph Cooper, another councillor, raised concerns the statue would play into the hands of vandals, prompting an opponent to suggest a Neighbourhood Watch scheme could be implemented to help protect it.
She said: 'Everybody wrecks everything in this town. That's why we are the way we are. If it does get wrecked, which it will, we will have to pay.'
She suggested the council instead pay homage to a local wicker man or another figure who had actually contributed to its history.
Speaking after the debate, Mr Edwards said he was 'delighted' that the plan had been 'kicked into touch'.
He said the town council would have looked 'ridiculous' paying tribute to a bird that has been the centre of so much contention.
'I was furious about it,' he said. 'This would have made the town council an utter laughing stock. It's lunacy. There was a really angry response about the town council making themselves more stupid than it already is.'
He said the 'crazy, stupid' idea had prompted looks of disbelief among those attending when it was first raised.
Graham Eves, a councillor who was at the meeting but abstained from voting said: 'People wondered why we needed a statue of a duck. We are known for ducks in this town. They don't stay where they are supposed to be and go all around the town.'
Paul Darby, the mayor, said the sculpture would have been 'something novel' for the town and children to enjoy.
'It's disappointing,' he said. 'It's something we could have had for a boost for the people in the town. I felt sad we didn't go ahead with it.'
Of the duck population, he said: 'Some people love them and some people hate them.' But he insisted there was never any move to cull them and it was not within the council's power.
Announcing its decision, the town council said: 'After thoughtful discussion, the town council has decided not to contribute to the 'LYM' Duck Project.
'While the project will not move forward, the council remains committed to exploring other exciting opportunities to enhance our community.'
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