A WRANGLE over Mossley Town Council’s mayoral chain has finally been resolved.
Margaret Turner-Wood has been given back the eight links her family donated for the mayoral chain in memory of her late husband Brian.
Following the axing of the role of mayor, Mrs Turner-Wood asked for the return of the links.
“When I heard there was not going to be a mayor, I asked for them back so I could create something nice for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren rather than them sitting in a drawer,” she said.
Margaret and her late husband helped found the Mossley Independent Steering Committee, which became the Mossley independent Community Party.
The couple donated four links for the chain and Margaret gifted a further four in memory of Brian, who died a decade ago.
The request for the return of the links was far from straightforward as town councillors debated at length the legalities as they had been gifted to them.
Cllr Frank Travis, Mossley Town Council chair, said at the time they needed to be indemnified against any future legal action – however unlikely – against them for giving back the links to Mrs Turner-Wood.
Cllr Travis added a regime in the future could decide to reinstate the position of mayor.
In the end it was decided the links could be returned if Mrs Turner-Wood provided a letter from her solicitor indemnifying them from any future legal action that may arise from the return of the links.
Mrs Turner-Wood also had to pay for the removal of the links from the mayoral chain.