A CONTENTIOUS plan to invest £100,000 of taxpayers’ money into promoting Newport as the ‘City of Democracy’ has been scrapped.

Newport City Council had previously announced plans to plough £100,000 into the branding idea commemorating the city’s Chartist history, which would also include an annual Festival of Democracy.

But following a backlash council leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox announced at a meeting of the authority’s cabinet yesterday, Wednesday, while the project will still go ahead, it will do so without the need for public investment.

“It’s an opportunity for Newport to develop a unique story,” she said.

“It is our intention to continue to look at ways to attract outside investment.”

Alway ward member Cllr Ray Truman said he believed much more could be made of Newport’s Chartist history.

“I know many councils would give their back teeth to have the background and heritage we have,” he said.

“We haven’t really taken advantage of it and we’ve never really sold it.”

Newport played a key role in the development of modern-day democracy when, on November 4, 1839, 10,000 members of the Chartist movement led by John Frost marched on the city, demanding the release of prisoners reportedly held in the Westgate Hotel.

The leaders of the uprising were convicted of high treason and sentenced to death, although this was later changed to transportation for life.

Sculptures commemorating the movement stand in the city centre, but the council controversially demolished a mural depicting the uprising in 2013 to make way for Friars Walk.

Also speaking at yesterday’s meeting, the council’s chief executive Will Godfrey said: “There are some costs associated with developing (the scheme), but it is about creating an identity that brings investment.

“I’ve felt for some time that Newport has got massive opportunities but we feel sometimes we are overshadowed by, perhaps, Cardiff.”

Last year the council commissioned a report by an independent think tank ResPublica to explore how the concept could be developed, reportedly costing between £50,000 and £60,000.

Speaking after the meeting, leader of Newport’s Conservative group Cllr Matthew Evans, who had previously condemned the plan, welcomed the announcement.

“I am very interested to hear how they can continue with the recommendation to have the festival without any money towards it,” he said.

“I would have hoped they would ditch the whole project.”

To view the full report presented to the cabinet visit newport.gov.uk