The City of Orange RSL sub-branch wrote to Orange City Council last week requesting the statue be placed in front of the Soldiers Memorial Hall where the flagpole was located.

After a meeting with the council, councillor Chris Gryllis moved on Tuesday to reverse a decision in May 2015 to place the statue outside the OCTEC building.

“I’m moving this for no other reason than they feel very strongly,” Cr Gryllis said.

Senior vice-president Roslyn Davidson addressed councillors on Tuesday night, saying the position outside the memorial hall was more appropriate because it was built in honour of the diggers who fought and died in WWI.

“I’m thinking now that it’s going to be prone to vandalism there [outside OCTEC] because it’s right on the very corner,” she said.

“As we know the beautiful statues we’ve got in Robertson Park have been vandalised a couple of times and we’d hate to see it happen to this one.”

Councillor Jeff Whitton opposed the idea because the original motion was passed almost two years ago and the OCTEC building was more significant at the time.

“We’re only a few weeks away from [installing it],” he said.

“The old town hall at that time was where all the community congregated – I’ve got photos of [former prime minister] Billy Hughes on the balcony addressing soldiers.”

Cr Whitton said the memorial hall was not built until 1921 and the statue would be lost there.

“It’s one of the best statues I’ve seen – there’s no weaponry, he’s in uniform and his Victoria Cross is there,” he said.

“You’ve got to be able to see him, it will be a reminder every day about this man and what he did for this country.”

With the vote locked at four councillors each, Orange mayor John Davis used his casting vote to keep the OCTEC location.

The statue was funded by the council and the Orange Ex-Services’ Club and is expected to be installed by Anzac Day, weather permitting.