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Cross Gates Sculpture started out even MORE underwhelming!
Some projects, it's fair to say, seem doomed to failure from the word go.
The Sinclair C5 was one. The Millennium Dome was another.
Now the controversial 'crossed gates' sculpture can surely be added to that role of dishonour.
For a new image has emerged which shows the sculpture looked even LESS spectacular in the planning stages than it does in real life.
And given the somewhat uninspiring nature of the prototype, some locals seem sure to question how it persuaded local councillors to spend 143,000 on the sculpture proper.
Council deputy leader Andrew Carter, who has branded the scheme a waste of cash, said: "It's beyond me how anyone could have looked at that and thought, 'oh yes, we must have it'.
"It's just farcical."
The gates were paid for from the 15m pot of Leeds City's Council's Town and District Centre Regeneration Scheme – which is mostly made up of taxpayers' cash and some donations from organisations like the National Lottery.
The Cross Gates community forum, backed by local councillors, bid for the monument money and they were installed in January, though work was only finished earlier this month.
The gates were initially due to cost around 40,000 but delays, political infighting, rows over the colour scheme and unforeseen lighting costs pushed the final cost up to 143,000.
Coun Carter added: "I have always believed that the decision on local spending should be taken locally and I still believe that.
"But when you look at these gates I find it utterly incredible that local ward councillors thought this was a priority for the Cross Gates area.
"Their insistence on carrying out the scheme to the bitter end, too, has done them no favours.
"A former MP for the east Leeds area (Denis Healey] once said, 'when you find yourself in a hole, it's time to stop digging'. This is advice they should have followed."
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Weather for Leeds
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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