THE cenotaph will stay at Bridgefoot after the War Memorials Trust stepped in to say they would not back it being moved.

Warrington Borough Council's Armed Forces/First World War commemoration task group had been looking into the possibility of the memorial being moved away from the busy roundabout.

Earlier this year some veterans had called for it to be relocated to a site which was easier to reach rather than having to tackle the tricky roads around Bridgefoot.

But Clr Mike Hannon told a council meeting on Monday that the trust said it would not back the scheme.

The deputy council leader said: "For as long as I have been on this council there has been a debate with reference to Warrington cenotaph about whether it should be relocated or not.

"The veterans and the TA have been talking about the possibility of moving the cenotaph.

"There were suggestions like it moving the existing cenotaph or can we have a new one.

"To help us in that decision we wrote to the War Memorials Trust for their guidance and advice. They said they would only formally support one option and that was to improve the current location."

The trust said: "War memorials are extremely emotive objects, and as a result, the issue of their relocation can be controversial and needs to be handled sensitively.

"War Memorials Trust believes that, where possible, a war memorial should be preserved in its original location. The trust only supports the relocation of a war memorial if its current position is putting the memorial at risk or if it is no longer accessible to the public for commemoration. It is important to think seriously about whether your war memorial needs to be relocated."

Clr Hannon said that in recent years the numbers of people turning out for Remembrance Sunday had been increasing despite concerns on its position.

He added:

“We need to ensure that decisions made by the current generation are the right ones for future generations when the area around the memorial may change to accommodate changing opportunities and priorities within the town.

“In our considerations, we have placed a great emphasis on making sure we respect the past. There was a very good reason why war memorials were sited at the centre of towns and cities – so that future generations would have a constant reminder of the many sacrifices made.”

Now the council will look to improve access and seating around the cenotaph.