Somewhere in a vault at Waltham Forest Council lies a disused statue of local hero Harry Kane. The sculpture of the England and Tottenham Hotspur record scorer, who was born in Walthamstow and grew up in Chingford, was commissioned by the London Borough in 2019 and completed the following year at a cost of £7,200, but it has yet to be seen in public. It has not appeared.
Local Tory councilors have attempted to install a statue of Kane at Chingford’s Weaver Line overpass station, but a risk assessment carried out by Transport for London says it could become a target for rival football fans. The proposal was rejected. TFL proposed that it should be located near the station rather than inside it, subject to local approval. So far, the proposal has not received local consent. Kane was also rejected for further appearances at Ridgeway Park, where he is a graduate of local youth team Ridgway Rovers.
Emma Best, one of the two councilors who originally commissioned the statue, told the BBC that she spent “many hours” working with local “stakeholders” to agree where it would go. He said he spent it. Photos of Kane’s portrait have not been made public, and its whereabouts remain unclear, prompting local complaints that money is being wasted on things the public cannot see. The current Bayern Munich player and his agent were involved in the project, who told the BBC: “The location of the statue is very important to us.”
Asked for comment, Waltham Forest City Council told the Guardian: “Community ward-funded projects are proposed by residents and approved by ward councillors, who lead communications about ward funding opportunities and the implementation of funded projects and events.”
“Each year, there is clear guidance on what can and cannot receive Community Ward Funding, depending on the corresponding theme. To receive Community Ward Funding, all ward councilors must unanimously approve a project. They must approve. Councilors must follow the guidance provided, which is reviewed annually.”
The statue was paid for with around £6,600 from a fund shared by councilors in each ward of the borough for “local initiatives, projects and improvements”.
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Fellow Ridgway graduate David Beckham, who was born in Leytonstone, grew up in Chingford and went to the same school as Kane, has yet to receive his own statue, but at least one famous footballer, Rory Cunningham, has received his own statue. It is admired for the carvings inside. The former Leyton Orient winger, one of England’s first black internationals and the first British player to represent Real Madrid, was celebrated outside Leyton Orient’s stadium, Brisbane Road.
