Wandsworth Council allocates £30,000 for John Archer statue

Wandsworth Council has agreed to allocate £30,000 towards the construction of a statue of John Archer in Battersea. Mr Archer, who was elected mayor of the area in 1913, was London's first Black mayor. The plan to erect a monument was initially launched six years ago by former Conservative council leader Ravi Govindia, following calls from the community group Love Battersea. At that time, the council pledged an initial £10,000 and aimed to secure further funding by 2022, but progress stalled.

Criticism over funding priorities

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The council's decision to allocate funds for the statue has faced criticism, particularly as the authority is proposing a significant increase in council tax of 94 per cent from April. Alongside this, the council is planning several service cuts, including closing its cost-of-living reserve, replacing Labour's Access for All scheme with a reduced concessionary programme, cancelling its Borough of Sanctuary status, and suspending grants to the voluntary sector for four years. Labour councillor Sara Apps argued that John Archer, a champion of social justice, would have prioritised the needs of children in the borough over erecting a statue. She stated that if faced with cutting swimming provisions for impoverished children or building a statue, Archer would have chosen to support the children.

Councillor Apps further commented that to honour John Archer's spirit, the council leader should focus on protecting residents in need, rather than continuing to reduce services and increase council tax. She noted that the borough was left in a good state by the previous administration.

Council leader's response

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Conservative council leader Robert Morritt defended the decision, calling the framing of the choice as being between children and heritage a "false one". He explained that the funding for the statue represents a one-off capital cost that will be covered by developers, distinguishing it from ongoing revenue commitments. Councillor Morritt stated that the council's challenge is to protect core services and support vulnerable residents while ensuring the council is on a sustainable financial footing, a challenge he suggested would exist regardless of which party was in power.

Former council leader Ravi Govindia also spoke at the meeting, describing the celebration of a Black role model as an "important statement" for the council to make. The agreed £30,000 will contribute to initial works for the statue's delivery, though further funds and agreements will be necessary for its completion.

Background on John Archer

John Archer, whose father was from Barbados, moved to Battersea in the 1890s. He was elected as a Liberal councillor for Latchmere and later became Mayor of Battersea in 1913. He was re-elected as a Labour councillor in 1919. Archer was also the first president of the African Progress Union in 1918 and chaired the Pan-African Congress in London in 1921. He served as a councillor for Nine Elms from 1931 until his death a year later, at the age of 69, when he was deputy leader of Battersea Council.