The deputy leader of Westminster City Council has resigned over the Marble Arch Mound scandal.
Melvyn Caplan has today stepped down “with immediate effect”, the council said, “following the increased costs and controversy surrounding the Marble Arch Mound”.
The council’s leader, Rachael Robathan, said: “The Mound opened too early, and we have apologised for that. It has become clear that costs have risen more than anticipated and that is totally unacceptable. Our original forecast cost was £3.3m. Total costs are now £6m, covering every aspect of the project: construction, operation and eventual removal.”
Robathan added: “With regret, I have accepted the resignation of my deputy leader, Melvyn Caplan, who led the Mound project. We have also instigated a thorough internal review to understand what went wrong and ensure it never happens again.”
The resignation has also resulted in a number of other council positions being reshuffled. Matthew Green will now take responsibility for Westminster’s investment in the Oxford Street District, alongside his role as cabinet member for business, licensing and planning. James Spencer, currently deputy cabinet member for city management, will take responsibility for the city management portfolio, and Tim Mitchell will become the sole deputy leader.
Robathan added that “central London has a battle on its hands” to bring people back to the city.
She pointed out that the Mound is only a small part of the council’s £150m Oxford Street District investment, and just one initiative in the wider Westminster Reveals campaign.
It has, however, become a highly visible and much derided white elephant, with many questioning why Westminster would choose to spend £2m – let alone £6m – on a divisive folly when the money would have been spent better on nearly anything else.
Robathan said: “The Mound may delight or divide views and that’s OK, but we are confident that in the end it will fulfil its original brief – to get people back into the West End and remind them of why this is a world-class city.”
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