An Isle of Wight man has rebuked a Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council motion for a £600 chain of office bill as “quite offensive” amid a cost-of-living crisis.
The attendee, who chose to be anonymous at the community council’s Full Council meeting on Monday, asked councillors why they needed a chain of office given they had “never” had one previously.
A chain of office is a collar or heavy chain, often made from a precious metal, that many civic office holders and mayors across the country wear.
He said:
“There’s something on your agenda – I do find it at the current time quite offensive – so I think my first question would be how much has this council donated to foodbanks and other charities to help people with the cost-of-living in this current year?
“It should be quite a straight forward question.”
“£7,000,” Cllr Geoff Brodie replied.
The member of the public continued: “So you recognise there’s a need of people struggling to feed themselves in Newport.
“So why do you need a chain of office? You’ve never had one previously at this council."
Cllr Martin Oliver, who is chair of the council, authored the motion.
He responded:
“It’s something I brought to the table, personally, because I think it’s an important role within Newport.
“I’m going out representing Newport and the community council in the wider environment.”
The man went on:
“Cllr Brodie’s never needed one, Cllr Jones-Evan’s never needed one.
“I forget who the chairman was before that – I don’t think not having that chain of office has ever obstructed chairmen in their duty.
“I live with someone who has lost their winter fuel payment. Tell me, do you think at the current time that is a good use of public money?”
Cllr Oliver answered: “Personally, yes.”
During a later discussion, the representative for Mountjoy and Shide said:
“It’s not a vanity project – we need to be seen as a council – I’ve been to many public events where I’ve represented the council and nobody’s got a scooby who I am, at all.
“I feel it is a fairly small cost to pay to actually push us out there a little bit – we’re the county town of the Isle of Wight.”
Cllr Oliver noted the council does already have a chain of office but one that is under “lock and key” in the town’s Guildhall building.
Councillors ultimately voted to allow Cllr Jones-Evans to begin exploratory work around various civic chain options instead of the initial £600 proposal.
Cllr Louise Rippon raised businesses sponsoring links in a chain made out of “a recycled metal” rather than a “precious metal” as one possible option.
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