Local Conservative MPs said they were opposed to the removal of the statue.

The authority said it recognised some aspects of his life were considered “less worthy of commemoration”.  Baden-Powell, who died aged 83 in 1941, has been criticised by campaigners who have accused him of racism, homophobia and support for Adolf Hitler, as bbc.com reports.

Former Bournemouth East Labour parliamentary candidate Corrie Drew said: “We can commemorate the positive work without commemorating the man.”

Meanwhile, an online petition to “defend Poole’s Lord Baden-Powell statue” has received more than 16,000 signatures and it is quickly growing.

Protesters to the planned removal claim that Lord Baden-Powell founded the modern worldwide scouting movement. In Poole, he is popular for holding a scout demonstration camp on Brownsea Island. He is an asset to not only local history, but worldwide history.

Indeed, all around the globe there are several hundreds of thousands of members of the international scouting organisation who feel deep respect for him.

Sir Robert Syms, Conservative MP for Poole, tweeted that he was “opposed” to the permanent removal of the statue.

Writing on Twitter, Tobias Ellwood, Tory MP for Bournemouth East, said: “Few historical figures comply with 21st C values. Simply expunging past connections from sight won’t correct wrongs or help us better learn from our past.”

The Tory MP for Bournemouth West, Conor Burns, also tweeted that the removal was “a huge error of judgment” and urged authorities to “put it back”.

If you wish you can sign the online petition here. 

Robert Baden-Powell (centre right) surrounded by friendly members of the Scouts movement, some of who are non-whites (credit: scoutsengidsenvlaanderen)