BBC investigates Spitfire monument competition: Southampton's memorial

BBC's Jon Cuthill investigates the 'secret seventh' winning entry of the Spitfire monument competition to design a memorial to the Spitfire in its birthplace of Southampton.
The Spitfire monument open competition, backed by the Sunday Telegraph was launched on the weekend of 17th July 2010. The national competition attracted 315 hopefuls, both amateur and professional, who also donated £8,500 in funds for the memorial along with their entries.
On the weekend of 18th September 2010 a shortlist of six finalists was published in the Sunday Telegraph and Southampton's local newspaper, the Southern Daily Echo.
On the weekend of the 6th November 2010 a winner was announced which was not on the published shortlist.
This 'secret seventh' entry was kept hidden from the remaining six finalists during which time they had to submit further design information for the competition. The Inside Out programme reveals this information was never assessed by the Spitfire Tribute Foundation. All members of the STF were judges for the competition.
The Spitfire Tribute Foundation consists of members and employees of Southampton City Council; including the Council's leader Councillor Royston Smith, local business men, the editor of the Southern Daily Echo, and curator of the Solent Sky Museum in Southampton, Squadron Leader Alan Jones. The STF first came together in 2007 to build a fitting tribute to the Spitfire.
Councillor John Hannides, Southampton City Council's cabinet member for resources, leisure and culture is chairman of the Spitfire Tribute Foundation.
On the 9th November 2010 Cllr Hannides, talking to the Southern Daily Echo had 'insisted there had been no favouritism or unfairness' and that 'the same criteria had been applied to all the entries'.
The Inside Out South programme investigates this 'stealth' winner and was first aired on 14th February 2011.
The six finalists are still seeking answers.

[@QuantumStep]

@eastleighvoice I also wonder how this whole competition fits into the European rules of procurement.

[@QuantumStep]

@eastleighvoice Why is Nick not talking about this? Well he is the guy that included £200,000 of professional fees in his budget despite the competition stipulating that there would be no financial reward to the winner.

[@CathodeRaze]

Anyone wishing to find out more detail on this debacle can view the entries and controversy here: flickr.com/photos/jonlucas/sets/72157625342034606/with/5162758274/

[@brixtonsaint]

I am so angry with the clowns presiding over this debacle I cannot put my feelings into words. Hancock should withdraw his entry and explain how he could miss the criteria set down for a design three times lifesize. Someone should doorstep this guy nick hancock design studio,17 ovanna mews, 19a buckingham road, london, n1 4ey and find out why he submitted a design which didn't fit the spec.