A REVIEW of statues and landmarks in Kirklees has been quietly concluded – and none are to be removed.

The revelation comes a year after protesters in Bristol toppled a statue of an 18th century slave trader.

Described as “a criminal act” by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, it prompted a national debate that saw other local authorities pledge to look at their own monuments – and whether they might be considered inappropriate.

In Kirklees council leader Shabir Pandor, responding to a question by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), said: “Along with Labour leaders up and down the country I have committed to reviewing all our monuments and landmarks.”

That review has been carried out. In response to a Freedom of Information request by the LDRS, the council said: “The review was undertaken by the Strategic Director for Economy and Infrastructure at no additional cost and with an outcome that no statues or monuments were removed or boarded up.”

Initially the Freedom of Information team seemed unaware that Clr Pandor had ordered the review and sought specifics “as the officer doesn’t know what you are referring to.”

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The council decided to undertake a review of all monuments and landmarks in the wake of the Bristol anti-racism protest on June 7 last year, which followed the death on May 25 of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The Bristol protest culminated in a statue of slaver Edward Colston being torn from its plinth and dragged to the floating harbour, where it was tipped into the water.

The bronze memorial was later recovered and is presently on display in the M Shed museum.

In London the national War Memorial – the cenotaph – on Whitehall and a statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square were boarded up to prevent damage in advance of a Black Lives Matter protest.

Kirklees Council did not issue a list of statues under review – but it said they are being assessed on the basis of their “appropriateness”.

At the time Tories described the review as “an almost knee-jerk reaction” and argued that “calm heads and leadership” were required.

Clr John Taylor, deputy leader of the Conservative group on Kirklees Council, said: “There does need to be a debate about how we can best support the black community but this needs to be done in a calm and rational way, not by mob rule and the loudest voices being heard.”