The ruling Labour group on City of York Council has been accused of decimating the importance of the role of Lord Mayor.
Cuts to the mayor’s budget are being proposed as the council looks to save £14m and stave off bankruptcy.
Under the plans the Lord and Lady Mayor will no longer be able to stay in the flat at the Mansion House. And the Mayor and Sheriff’s personal allowances would be cut by £5K.
The number of occasions the sword, mace, robes and chains can be used will all be reviewed and reduced for security and protection reasons.
And while the council will financially support “set agreed events”, the Lord Mayor will have to dig into his own pocket to get to any other community events – and use of the official car will be reduced.
Former Sheriff and current Lib Dem councillor Ashley Mason says the cutbacks will ‘decimate’ the historic role.
He told YorkMix: “It really takes away the huge work that the Lord Mayor does, particularly with charities and community groups.
“If the Lord Mayor now wants to go and visit a charity and shake hand with volunteers to thank them for what they’re doing, he’s going to have to do it at his own expense – and he isn’t even allowed to wear the chain.
“It really devalues what they’re doing.”
The changes would “almost take it back 50 years to a time when, if you want to be Lord Mayor or Sheriff, you’ve got to be able to afford to do it.
“Now the council is saying, you want to go to an extra event – a community event, visit a school – you’ve got to do it at your own expense. Clearly that’s going to cost money and not everyone can afford to do that.”
A report about the cuts is going to the executive member for finance decision session on Wednesday 21 February.
It reviews “a range of current civic protocols to ensure that the Civic Party, including use of the Mansion House and Lord Mayor’s Charity, are supported into the future in a sustainable way at a time of constrained resources”.
It adds: “This council reiterates its support for a strong Lord Mayor fulfilling the role of First Citizen, reflecting the historical significance and value of the civic function and its role in the life of the city.
“This commitment sits alongside proposed significant investment to ensure critical repairs are undertaken at the Mansion House which is the ancestral home of York’s Lord Mayoralty, and which will remain the seat of the civic party into the future.”
The report says the incoming Lord Mayor Elect has been “consulted on the broad proposals”.