POOLE’S civic regalia, valued at £1.2million for insurance, could be worth significantly more – according to one councillor.

An investigation is now to be carried out into the current value of the civic mayoral chains, maces and other items, after reported difficulties in finding insurance cover.

The treasured items, some which date back to the time of Charles 2nd, are currently being stored in Bournemouth, it has been revealed, following the closure of the Poole Civic Centre.

Cllr Ann Stribley told a meeting of the Poole Charter Trustees that she had attended a convention and spoke to the Sheriff of another council who said their chain of office had just been valued at £800,000.

“It was a very nice chain of office, but nowhere near our Sheriff’s chain of office,” said Cllr Stribley, who called for all of the borough regalia to be revalued.

“It might be that we might need several million pounds to cover it,” she said.

Cllr Sibley was told that a re-valuation only took place every five years with the last putting all the items at a collective worth of £1.2million. The meeting was told that the Trustees office was now looking to see if self-insuring the items might be a more cost-effective option in the future. A report on that is expected back in the autumn.

A working group will also be asked to investigate whether to re-instate an official badge for past Sheriffs which had been dropped on cost grounds some years ago after it was discovered that only in rare circumstances would the badge be worn and, even then, only for one occasion.

At the time the decision was made, almost a decade ago, the cost of two badges, one for the past Sheriff and one for the past Sheriff’s spouse, or escort, had been £1,800 for the two.

Cllr Judy Butt said she believed it was a shame that some past Sheriffs had not received the badge and asked for it to be re-instated.

The meeting heard that the last Sheriff to receive the badge was either Cllr Peter Adams in 2014 or Philip Eades the year before.

Normally the Sheriff goes on to become the borough mayor, although there have been exceptions over the years, with the progression being from mayor to deputy mayor, both roles also being given a badge of office after their year in service together with badges for partners or escorts.