Leisure chief backs Daily Echo Spitfire appeal

5:30am Wednesday 10th October 2007

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By Peter Law »

THE campaign to give Southampton a Spitfire memorial to be proud of has been hailed as "one of the most important projects the city has ever seen".

That's the view of the city's leisure boss who has thrown his weight behind the Daily Echo's Give Us a Spitfire campaign.

Launched less than a week ago, our campaign has also taken another huge step forward with news that the memorial fighting fund could receive an estimated £100,000 cash injection.

We launched our campaign after The Southampton Partnership Board, which controls how to spend the £230,000 originally earmarked to give the city a 'wow' factor, rejected popular plans for a memorial to one of Britain's greatest engineering feats in favour of a £120,000 model of the city.

Sizeable sum Now councillor John Hannides has demanded that the board hand over the sizeable sum of taxpayers' money.

The Cabinet member for leisure and culture said the unelected board of business and community leaders must respond to widespread public support for a permanent tribute to the great Second World War fighter plane.

"In comparison to the production of a model of Southampton and the street signs, the Spitfire is eminently a far greater and a far more worthy cause," he said.

"I hope that if the Southampton Partnership reflects on that, and responds to the public reaction, then at least there is an opportunity to allocate the balance of the monies, otherwise it would just be lost."

The Southampton Partnership has yet to say how it intends to spend the remaining funds from its original £230,000 budget, although chairman Ros Cassy has said several smaller projects were being considered.

For the full story, see today's Southern Daily Echo.