CONTROVERSY is already raging even before the arrival of three new works of art for Blackpool Promenade costing in the region of £220,000.

High Tide Organ, This Is The Way The Wind Looks and a giant glitter ball entitled They Shoot Horses Don't They? are expected to be installed at South Shore by the end of April.

But one Blackpool councillor is furious that even more money is being spent on public art.

Former mayor Coun Henry Mitchell said: "I think the pieces already installed are a monstrosity and an eyesore.

"As for the new three, I think the money would be better spent on other things such as street cleaning, old people's homes and the social services. The streets of Blackpool are a disgrace.

"I know that people say that the funding is coming from different sources but that's not the point. They are sending out the wrong signals to the community with this sort of thing.

"It's time we cleaned up the town and worked for the people of Blackpool."

Wendy Jones of The Art Department in Manchester, commissioned to co-ordinate the pieces and make two of them, told the Citizen: "High Tide Organ is a 50ft high triangular piece made of different metals with huge pipes that produce sounds when the tide flows in. It will cost in the region of £80,000.

"They Shoot Horses Don't They is a giant glitter ball 20ft in diameter. It's named after the cult film starring Jane Fonda where members of the cast danced and danced under a glitter ball until they nearly died. There's always a sad side to glitter balls as well as the fun disco aspect and we think this goes well with Blackpool. It will cost approximately £90,000 to make and install.

"There were serious worries at first about drivers being blinded by car headlights hitting the ball so we had a feasibility study done and everything is fine.

"Also it's very exciting as the ball is to go in the Guinness Book of Records when it's made as being the world's largest glitter ball. But it's not valid until someone has a dance under it so we will be having an opening dancing ceremony!

"This Is The Way The Wind Looks is a piece being produced by the artist Stephen Hurrel. It's a series of tall, thin, metal towers with wind turbines on one side and lights on the other and the wind drives the lights. It should cost about £50,000."

Artist Stephen Hurrel said: "I'd always wanted to do a piece in a seaside resort and combine the ideas of wind, sea and lights and the Blackpool site is perfect. I like the idea of technology blending with nature. And having the sea as a backdrop and the dunes in front is wonderful. This is the first permanent public art work I've done as I've done many others across the country but they've been only temporary."

Funding for the new works has come from many sources including from the North West Development Agency (NWDA) who has given £160,000 as part of a rolling programme to support the growth of public art in Blackpool.

Baron Isherwood of NWDA said: "Improving the image of England's North West is a major priority for the NWDA and we are committed to supporting projects which help transform our image.

"This ambitious public art scheme will reinforce Blackpool as a famous international brand name as well as complementing its more traditional offerings".

Blackpool Borough Council's portfolio holder for culture and leisure Coun David Owen said: "We are looking forward with excitement to the installation of the next three features.

"They will provide promenaders with an audio-visual extravaganza, placing Blackpool in the Guinness Book of Records with the world's largest dance-hall mirrorball and pioneering the first sea-powered organ. It is an innovative scheme and purposely quite different from those of other seaside towns."