HOARDING erected around the statue of Robert Baden-Powell on Poole Quay has been removed.

BCP Council leader Vikki Slade said the risk of anti-social behaviour linked to the presence of the figure of the Scouting founder was now “minimal” and that it could be uncovered.

She said the statue would now be kept in place but that the council was “actively working” with the Scout Association to consider how to reflect more controversial aspects of Lord Baden-Powell’s life.

Last month the council announced the statue would be removed temporarily and put in storage due to concerns about the “risk to public safety”.

The decision, was made in the wake of the tearing down of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

The Poole Quay statue was listed on the Topple the Racists website due to Lord Baden-Powell’s alleged “documented homophobia, racism and enthusiastic support of Hitler”.

However, the proposed removal of it prompted a significant backlash.

Following this, and concerns that the removal of the statue from Poole Quay could damage it, the council reversed its decision instead erecting protective hoardings around it.

These have now been removed by the council and the statue has been put back on display to the public.

“The initial decision to remove the statue was based upon the risk to public safety, and to the statue itself and was only ever intended as a temporary measure,” Cllr Slade said.

“Following the local concerns and an assessment that removal may damage the structure we retained the statue in place on the quay. Our advice is that the risk is now minimal and we have decided to remove the protective hoarding.”

She added: “We are actively working with the Scout Association to consider how best to reflect the wider aspects of the life of Lord Baden-Powell but do intend to retain it in its place overlooking Brownsea Island to reflect the strong links with Scouting and the positive impact on the lives of children all over the world.”