Jubilee corgi sculptures sold at massive loss by Broadland Council

A Norfolk council seems to have been barking up the wrong tree having sold its controversial wicker corgi statues at a massive loss.

Broadland District Council spent £21,000 commissioning seven corgi sculptures, based on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite pets, as part of its Platinum Jubilee Celebrations last year.

It has now been revealed that the council has made a significant loss after selling the statues at a charity auction, raising around £500 each. The costs, including repairs, were around £3,154 per corgi.

Only four of the diminutive dog sculptures were sold, with the money going towards Nelson’s Journey. Two were kept by the council and the remaining one has been given to King and will be displayed at Sandringham.

Liberal Democrat councillor Caroline Karimi-Ghovanlou praised giving the proceeds to charity but questioned the cost of refurbishing the corgis before sale and what the net loss to the council was in financial terms.

Trudy Mancini-Boyle, the deputy leader of the council, admitted the repair cost £1,080 for all seven, with a total of £2,140 raised by the auction.

She said: “I don’t see this as a loss to the council, however, your question seems to approach this from a different angle.

“The corgis were commissioned as a tribute to our late Queen they were never meant to be seen as a commercial exercise.

“I am personally very proud that Broadland District Council took the opportunity to recognise a once in a lifetime event.”

She said the Corgis were placed across the district for people to enjoy and they “did that in their droves” which helped local businesses.

She added: “I feel like something so lovely is being made so political and that just wasn’t necessary.”

Two corgis were put back up for auction by their purchaser but failed to reach the £1,000 asking price.