Embarrassing chain reaction for man on a mission Wyong Mayor Doug Eaton. Gosford Mayor Lawrie McKinna. NEVER before in Wyong Shire Council's nearly 70-year history has a mayor stood for the pomp and ceremony of wearing mayoral chains - until now. Incumbent Doug Eaton intends wearing the $38,000 gold-plated bling during a council delegation to China later this month. Supporters said the added accessories would shrug off a "country cousin" perception and the council party would be treated as grown ups. Mr Eaton claimed he "didn't know" how much the gold-plated chains cost, before assuming it was "a few thousand." The Daily Telegraph can reveal Wyong ratepayers will be slugged a whole lot more. The controversy comes at a time when the cash-strapped council has cancelled its annual recognition dinner in a raft of austerity measures it has introduced to cut its operating deficit by $20 million, but still faces a $121 million infrastructure backlog. "This is the most egotistical self-promoting load of rubbish that I have ever come across in my public life," veteran Wyong councillor and former mayor Bob Graham said at this week's council meeting. Mr Graham said Mr Eaton, who scraped on to council last election on preference votes before using his numbers in chambers to secure the top job, had a Chinese wife and was closely connected to the Chinese community. He said Chinese mayors wore chains and were feted "like gods." "Doug wants some of that when he takes the delegation to China," Mr Graham said. Mr Eaton, who has been mayor before - in 1996-97 and 2010-11 - without seeking the trappings of office, yesterday denied the chains were his idea. But his closest political supporter, councillor Greg Best, said there was "no hiding the fact" Mr Eaton was behind the chains. However he defended his friend of 20 years, saying Mr Eaton was not a flashy dresser or "bling wearer" and that the chains would ensure the office of the Wyong mayor would be taken seriously overseas. "It's Wyong saying we're equal to any other council - we've grown up," he said. Gosford City Mayor Lawrie McKinna said he would have lent his mayoral chains, acquired by Gosford many years ago, to his Wyong counterpart for the trip. "Of course I would have lent them but it's got Gosford Council on it so it wouldn't work," he said.