The Lord Mayor of York has created a storm after refusing to wear ‘disgusting’ chains of office until they were cleaned and regilded.
Cllr Sonja Crisp also refused to leave her apartment in the city’s mansion house during a £1.6m refurbishment programme and demanded officials find alternative city centre accommodation, according to emails leaked to a national newspaper.
A council employee said he had experienced 'yet another outburst' from the Lord Mayor and warned he may have to consider making a formal complaint if it happened again.
Cllr Crisp also claimed stress caused by 'the way she was being treated' was making her ill.
In one email she said: 'Just a gentle reminder that I am the Lord Mayor, the first citizen, the rightful resident of the Mansion House and I have rights too.'
She later relented, saying she had found her own free hotel accommodation.
Cllr Crisp said in a statement : 'I am deeply concerned at any embarrassment to the Lord Mayoralty this may cause.
‘My only intention throughout my time in office is to try to preserve the dignity and position of the office of Lord Mayor for the future of the City.’
