DESIGN proposals for Andover Town Council’s (ATC) regalia were met with mixed reactions at a meeting.

On Thursday, May, 3, ATC’s Policy and Resources Committee was given a presentation by jeweller Ruth Facey over potential designs for the regalia, as the authority looks at options for mayoral representation.

Ms Facey was invited to present her idea, of a heart shape reflecting the main road make-up of Andover, which was originally developed by artists at Encounters Pop-Up Shop in 2014.

The unique make-up was then brought to the committee following conversations between Ms Facey and former Andover Town mayor Councillor Katherine Bird earlier this year.

On creating the design, Ms Facey said: “We were looking at the map of Andover and we saw ‘oh look there is a heart’ and that is a drawing of the main roads around Andover."

She added: “The chain and heart of Andover would make a striking statement for the town, acknowledging the historic importance of the position of mayor but setting it firmly in a modern world and meeting the challenges that this brings.

“It is different from all the other regalia going about. It does exactly what you want it to do as being separate from Test Valley Borough Council, the town itself needs recognition like that.”

While some councillors were “impressed”, others were keen not to give up on efforts of retaining Andover’s regalia from the borough council.

The badge, formerly used for Andover Borough Council’s mayor up until the mid-1970s, is currently held by the borough council.

Councillor Luigi Gregori said: “The design does not happen for me I think I’m a traditionalist at heart maybe. We spent a fair amount of effort to try and reclaim the town badge, I think going forward in a completely different direction might be a bit too much – forgetting the artistic merit of that, there are issues for me.”

Councillor Robin Hughes added the lion and oak tree symbol is hugely associated with Andover and is seen on school and sports teams’ emblems around the town.

A budget of £1,650 has been set aside for the regalia in this financial year.