Folkestone & Hythe District Council Misses Deadline to Replace St Eanswythe’s Head
More than a year after vandals decapitated the statue of St Eanswythe (pictured) in mid-June 2024, the saint remains headless—despite a public promise from a cabinet member that a replacement would be installed “by the end of August.”
At the full council meeting on Wednesday 23 July 2025, Cllr Belinda Walker (Lab) pressed the administration on progress, citing residents’ frustration at the lack of visible action following the incident, which prompted a police investigation at the time. In response, Cllr Connor McConville, Cabinet Member for Assets and Local Government Reorganisation (Lib Dem & Independent), told councillors and the public that a new head would be fitted “by the end of August.”
August has now come and gone, and the statue remains unrestored.
The missed deadline matters. When a council sets a specific timetable in the public forum of the chamber, that commitment becomes a benchmark against which residents can fairly judge performance. Failure to meet it—without a clear explanation—undermines trust far beyond a single heritage repair.
What we know
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Mid-June 2024: St Eanswythe’s statue is vandalised; the head is removed and a police investigation is understood to have been initiated.
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23 July 2025: In the council chamber, Cllr Walker asks for an update; Cllr McConville pledges completion “by the end of August.”
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Early September 2025: The restoration has not been completed; no replacement head is in place.
Why the delay matters
Public art and heritage features are not incidental. They are part of the civic realm and local identity, attracting visitors and offering daily moments of pride and reflection for residents. A near 15-month gap between damage and restoration—followed by a missed, publicly stated deadline—invites questions about project management, procurement, and communication within the council.
Legitimate hurdles – but not excuses
Specialist conservation work can be complex. Insurance claims, sourcing appropriate materials, securing craftsmanship that matches the original, and—where applicable—obtaining listed building consent or other permissions can extend timelines. None of that is controversial. But where complexities exist, the remedy is clear, proactive communication: a timetable, milestones, reasons for slippage, and a revised, credible completion date.
What the council should now publish
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A short project timeline showing what has been done since June 2024 and when.
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The reason for the missed August deadline and the specific blockers.
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A new, realistic installation date, with named accountability.
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Cost and funding source (insurance recovery, grants, or council budgets).
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Any required consents (and their status) and the appointed contractor’s scope.
Providing this information would not only honour the commitment made in July but also demonstrate the basic standards of transparency residents are entitled to expect.
The bottom line
The restoration of St Eanswythe’s statue should have been a straightforward test of the council’s ability to set a deadline and meet it—or to level with the public when it could not. Instead, a missed promise has turned a heritage repair into a credibility problem. The fix is still the same as it was in July: deliver the work, and communicate clearly until it’s done.
The Shepway Vox Team
Dissent is NOT a Crime
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