I think the artworks on BT and electrical boxes in the city centre are imaginative and fun.

They were done as part of a project by Gloucester BID, with joint funding from the BID and the government Welcome Back fund, administered by the council. Tired street furniture was painted with a base coat and then artists did their work on them.

The artworks encourage people to look for them, and to learn a little about the historical figures portrayed or the nature depicted.

The Liberal Democrats proposed a motion at full council this week looking at ways to expand this scheme in the future, maybe doing more boxes in the city centre, or taking it out further into other parts of the city.

The scheme would have been cost neutral, as it would have involved applying for suitable funding or encouraging local communities and businesses to get involved.

Sadly the Conservative administration chose to amend the motion to the point where it only proposed promoting the existing artworks, and no further work.

It’s disappointing that there isn’t more vision for imaginative public art in the city. Other towns and cities do it very well and it draws people in.

After all – it’s only paint – it can always be painted over later.