News / Edward Colston
New guidance for reviewing contested statues in wake of Colston’s removal
The toppling of Edward Colston’s statue followed many years of debate about how Bristol should mark its history.
Its swift removal during a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020 sparked a new urgency across the city to end associations with the name of the notorious slave trader, with schools, businesses, institutions and more starting processes to shed his moniker.
Events in Bristol also prompted the government to put forward new legislation to protect historic monuments at risk of removal.
is needed now More than ever
As other cities grapple with deciding the future of contested monuments and street names, a team of experts from the University of Bristol have released a report focussing on the best practices for councils to follow.
It highlights the need for transparency and democratic processes that give all communities a voice, with citizen panels recommended as just one of several methods that can be used to come to fair and inclusive decisions.
Montpelier High School (formerly Colston’s Girls’ School) was one of a number of places in the city that has changed its name – photo by Martin Booth
“All too often some communities are not involved in decision-making that affects them directly, and the ‘hard to reach’ label is used as a justification for these absent voices,” explains Dr Marie-Annick Gournet, a co-author of the report.
“This guidance provides the framework for a truly inclusive process with early engagement and steps to secure participation of diverse communities.”
The report is published a fortnight after London mayor Sadiq Khan announced the launch of the city-wide participatory learning project Bridging Histories in the capital, as well as a £1m Untold Stories fund to champion diversity in the London’s public spaces.
At least 150 councils across the UK have committed to reviewing the balance of heritage in their landscapes. However, in many places, reviews have been carried out without examples of best practice, and with limited public communication.
Mayor Marvin Rees says: “When the statue of Edward Colston was hauled down, there was no playbook. That’s what makes this report so important. I was fortunate, as I had great people around me who knew the city well, the authors of this report among them. Other leaders may not be so fortunate and this work will be an invaluable aid.
“Working with our histories in all their fullness is at the same time essential and difficult. We must know who we are, and yet in the process of finding that out we might end up facing things that challenge the very essence of who we are.
“This work lays out ways to approach this leadership challenge: engaging with people, hearing their voices, their hopes and concerns. It gives leaders advice on an approach that will enable emotional intelligence and sensitivity without shying away from difficult stuff.”
Main photo by Martin Booth
Read more: Montpelier High School pupils reflect on school’s new name
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