Last week, the Advertiser revealed the new sculpture – funded by £15,000 from the sale of the town’s former Templeton Library – had been met with criticism from councillors and the public who hit out at a lack of consultation over the artwork.

It was created by Turnberry sculptor John McKenna and is said to depict the head as being both Lady Helen Colquhoun and Clota the River Goddess of the Clyde, with the town’s skyline featured underneath.

This week, Mr Petrie called on the council to instead erect a coat of arms of Argyll and Bute on the £8.3m East Clyde Street development.

He told the Advertiser: “I have been approached by quite a few people who are all baffled by it and I have to say that I agree with them. Sadly the comments are all critical and not complimentary.

“I do feel that the sculpture is completely out of keeping with such a modern building and I suggest that, at minimal cost, the sculpture be removed and replaced with the coat of arms of Argyll and Bute.” Mr Petrie said the coat of arms is ‘one of the most attractive and colourful’ of all the Scottish councils and it features the coat of arms of Helensburgh Town Council when it was formed in 1802 as well as the coat of arms of Cove and Kilcreggan Town Council, and so it would be ‘appropriate’ for the civic centre.

He added: “I hope others will contribute to the debate in the hope at the end of the day an amicable solution can be found.” In response, the council said it is ‘developing a number of options’ following the reaction of the community.

Councillor Vivien Dance said she will be working towards the removal of the sculpture, adding that it was ‘unacceptable’ elected members were no consulted on the artwork.

She said: “Those with artistic tendencies should just stand and take a long hard look at the building and think if Lady Helen had looked like that no one would ever have named a town after her.

“What a real shame that all the hard work completed to restore this building into a great feature for the town, will now be ridiculed for something stuck on the front over which local councillors had no influence or decision making.” Cllr Gary Mulvaney, area committee chairman, said: “We should celebrate that we have new life for an old building, a superb venue for marriages, space and rooms for the community and 150 staff in the town centre – who knows maybe it will win one of those arty style ‘plook on a plinth’ awards and that will really put us on the map.” The artwork has been funded by the monies generated from the sale of the Templeton Library. The rest of the fund – which totals around £350,000 – has gone towards landscaping, internal refurbishment of the annexe and parts of the main old building which will be available for community use.

Cllr Aileen Morton added: “The original donation of the Templeton building by the Anderson family was a very generous gesture towards the town and their willingness to contribute to the wellbeing of the community is to be commended.” Bill Anderson, who is one of the last two direct descendants of the Anderson siblings, said he is glad to see the funds used in his lifetime, particularly for such a ‘significant project’ as the restoration of the listed Clyde Street School building.

He added: “The family members were consulted on this artwork and I think it would be rather ungracious to simply remove a piece of art that reflects Helensburgh’s history and is the product of one family’s generosity to the town.” A spokeswoman for Argyll and Bute Council said: “The progress of this major project has attracted the keen interest of the community, and the recent addition of a piece of artwork on the exterior of the front façade of the building has prompted both questions and comments. In recognition of the community’s interest in this sculpture the council is developing a number of options which will be considered as soon as possible.”