IN reply to Mr Jack Cox’s letter (Warrington Guardian, May 3).

I have some sympathy with his thoughts and have asked some of the same questions myself.

The river bank beside the cenotaph is collapsing into the river.

The cenotaph is a listed monument and the borough council has a duty to maintain and protect it.

The piling machine to repair the riverbank can only go in one place.

You’ve guessed it, right where the cenotaph is.

So we have to remove it to do the works.

The opportunity to move it permanently was investigated.

Being a listed monument we had to have permission from the Monuments Trust. It refused.

Their reason was it was placed there for a reason and the heritage should be respected.

The British Legion and English Heritage were also opposed to it being moved.

The riverbank works are due to start after Armistice Day later this year.

We shall remove the cenotaph and surrounding stone work, refurbish it, repair the river bank and replace it back in the same place.

We will take the opportunity to improve the disabled access and refurbish and improve the surrounding area.

CLLR GRAHAM FRIEND Warrington Borough Council’s armed forces champion and chairman of the cenotaph Committee