Council’s civic chains to finally find happy home back in Settle after 50 years

The vice chairman’s chains are also known as the “Settle chains” as they were previously used by the old Settle Rural District council before the last local government reorganisation in 1974. Ever since then, Settle Town Council has staked a claim to the chains and repeatedly asked for them back — to no avail.

But with the abolition of Craven District Council in less than two months’ time, councillors met this week in Skipton to agree to donate the chains to The Folly museum in Settle, where they can be used for civic occasions in Settle as well as by parish councils whose footprint was in the old rural district including Bentham and Ingleton.

Current holder of the chains, Labour’s Chris Rose, joked that she had to be wary when she travelled through Settle and veteran independent councillor Robert Heseltine reminded councillors there had been bad blood involving the chains going back decades.

He said: “A lifetime ago in 1976 the first debate I took part in was with residents of Settle complaining that the rural district council chains that were used by them hadn’t been returned. That rumbled on for years and they just wouldn’t let it go.”

Conservative councillor for Settle and Ribblebanks, David Staveley, said he was aware of the long-standing dispute as his grandfather, James Staveley, sat on both the old Settle council and Craven District Council.

But Coun Staveley said the disagreement over the chains should finally be put to bed. He said: “It’s an argument that was had and lost many years ago and it seems a little pointless churning it all over again.”

He added putting the chains on display at the museum would be a “fitting epitaph to the sad demise of Craven district. They should be on display to remind residents of what went before.”

Settle Town Council met on Monday evening where councillors agreed that it would welcome the chains being donated to the town’s museum.

Conservative council leader Richard Foster added: “The chains will go to the Folly for the use of Settle and the rural district, so if anyone wants to bring the chains out for a civic event they can have a conversation with the Folly and they’ll get them.”