A car park bearing the name of a slave trader has moved a step closer towards being renamed after councillors formally proposed plans.

Medway councillors approved a recommendation to rename Sir John Hawkins Car Park in Chatham town centre.

Throughout autumn a working group of councillors has been discussing names of monuments and memorials throughout the Towns and whether they remain appropriate in the 21st Century.

The list included cemeteries, parks, schools, halls, and car parks.

The issue of the car park in Waterfront Way, which is named after a 16th Century slave trader, was first raised in June amid the Black Lives Matter protests.

KentOnline revealed in October the working group had agreed the Sir John Hawkins Car Park would be renamed and the proposal would be brought before the council. But at the time no agreement had been reached on an alternative.

The cross-party group has now proposed to rename the car park St John's Car Park – due to it's proximity to St John the Divine Church.

This was supported by the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which discussed the findings during a virtual meeting on Thursday.

The group also considered four complaints received by the council regarding a statue of Lord Kitchener on Dock Road, Chatham.

As the council does not own the land where it is located next to the Kitchener Barracks development, councillors decided to write to the statue's owners passing on the concerns.

Campaigners were concerned about the monument to the soldier due to his part in setting up concentration camps during the Boer War and the imprisonment and killing of children during the conflict in South Africa at the turn of the 20th Century.

Cllr Vince Maple (Lab), said: "I think it sends a very positive message that the council takes these issues seriously."

The leader of the Labour group raised the issue of street names not being included in the working group's report, saying how visitors to Chatham are often "surprised" there is a Stalin Avenue in the town.

Cllr Chris Buckwell, chairman of the committee, said changing street names could prove an administrative headache for those living there.

He added: "From the moment it was raised, I was no longer comfortable that a slave trader should have a name associated with a piece of land from which this authority gains income."

The plans will next be considered by the council's cabinet.

Debate around the renaming of the car park has led to heated statements including from the council leader Alan Jarrett who caused outrage when he referred to a "lynch mob" mentality among campaigners.

He was forced to retract his comments made during a council meeting in the summer.

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