AN investigtion is under way to find out who sabotaged a device to record sculpture centre visitor numbers.

Cllr Jane Lewis told last week’s full council meeting in Bury that the electronic device, which is used to count the number of people visiting the controversial centre through its front entrance, had been tampered with.

Cllr Lewis, council cabinet member for culture, said that the council is now investigating the issue and will make adaptations to the system so that the device cannot be meddled with.

She said: “In addition, we’ve had examples of members of the protest campaign trying to get in to the Sculpture Centre without being counted — presumably trying to prove inaccuracy by not being counted.”

The meeting was told that previous figures showing the number of visitors to the Sculpture Centre had been inaccurate, and that the number of people visiting from May to July was nearer 7,000, rather than 8,000.

Cllr Lewis said this had been an “honest mistake” after a miscalculation by a new member of staff.

She added that there is no counter which records the number of people who attend the Sculpture Centre from the library, who are therefore not included in the visitor figures.

In response, Sue Smith, of the Reinstate Bury Central Library group (RBCL), said: “The recent ‘miscalculation’ of visitor figures to the sculpture centre may suggest that the current system is flawed.

“If people are entering the library before entering the sculpture centre perhaps this is because their main priority is to visit the library.

“RBCL’S primary concern is not the visitor count for the sculpture centre, but to reinstate the central library in Bury.”