Shropshire town's new mayoral chain will cost £4,000

Ellesmere Town Council’s finance, asset and resources committee has chosen its preferred option, which comes with a velvet backing and customised case.

The chain of office will cost £3,064.60 with a velvet collar and customised box costing £363 and £606.38 respectively. Therefore the total cost, excluding VAT, is £4,033.98.

Members were split on what colour the velvet backing should be, with some wanting blue (the town’s colour) and others preferring black.

It was proposed by Councillor Pete Jones that it should be blue, which was seconded by Councillor Geoff Elner.

There were four votes in favour of the proposal and four against. Therefore the committee chair Councillor Graham Hutchinson had the casting vote, and he recommended the backing should be black.

The clerk Jo Butterworth informed members that Shrewsbury Town Council does not engrave its chain and just adds the mayor’s names to the honours board. It was asked whether so many links in the chain would be required, and if the cost could be reduced. Ms Butterworth said she would investigate the costs and bring her findings to full council when members consider the recommendation on Monday (December 3).

It was moved by Councillor Hutchinson not to engrave the new chain, which was seconded by Councillor Liz Woodbridge.

After the vote, Councillor Anne Wignall asked Ms Butterworth if she could see whether other councils in Shropshire engrave their chains.