Historic civic regalia - or 'bling' – should be worn, not locked away: Minister

Locking civic regalia – or 'bling' – away out of sight is “plain silly”, Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis has said after being asked to intervene in a dispute between an elected mayor and a town’s charter trustees.

The dispute – over the wearing of mayoral chains of office – is between the Charter Trustees of Mansfield and Tony Egginton, the town’s elected mayor since 2002.

According to the Yorkshire Post, the leader of the Labour group on the local council, Martin Lee, has reportedly said that the council chairman should wear the chains rather than Egginton.

Lee is also reported to have accused the elected mayor of “parading around in bling”.

In his response to a request from a businessman to intervene in the dispute, Brandon Lewis acknowledged that the Government had no powers to intervene. He added that, "since no parish has been instituted for the town of Mansfield, the Charter Trustees remain in existence with the same responsibilities given them under the 1970s legislation i.e. they are responsible for the civic regalia of Mansfield town – as I understand it this includes the chains of office”.

The minister’s letter explained that the principal role of the Charter Trustees in Mansfield was to maintain civic regalia, a collection of gifts and artefacts that were donated to the town during its days as a borough and other gifts subsequently donated by past chairmen of the council.

The trustees meet twice a year and have powers to raise a precept on the council to repair any civic regalia, if necessary.

“So one of the main responsibilities of the Charter Trustees is to look after the Chains of Office and they have been doing so since 1974,” Lewis said. “However only a mayor can wear them – and I understand the directly elected mayor had been doing so until recently. I also note that there is no civic/ceremonial mayor in Mansfield.”

The minister said this lack of powers to intervene did not mean however that the Government could not express a view, adding that he had some sympathy with the businessman’s exasperation over the issue.

“Where councils have historic civic regalia, I believe they should be worn with pride,” the minister said. “This Government strongly supports celebrating our country’s tapestry of local historic traditions. I disagree with those who have argued that the chains should be placed in a museum. Civic regalia are a symbol of continuity, of local identity and of civic pride. Local democracy is diminished if one whitewashes all colour and ceremony in some bland, vain, politically correct bid to ‘modernise’.”

The minister continued: “Indeed, my children have advised me that ‘bling’ is actually quite fashionable these days; this observation reflects the fact that reactionary ‘modernisers’ are generally out of touch with the people. I suspect the public would rather have their civic event opened by a dignitary wearing impressive chains of office than some municipal official only wearing a stuffy suit.”

Lewis said: “To be frank, I can see no justifiable reason for allowing the current elected mayor to wear them for some years and then just withdraw them, and arbitrarily change a practice which has been in place until relatively recently. Allowing the elected mayor to wear the chain seems a sensible and practical arrangement which no doubt makes sense to local people. By contrast, getting into a huff and locking the civic regalia away out of sight is plain silly.”