IT’S DOWN with the flags and up with the Christmas lights in Warwickshire.
That’s the seasonal message from leader of Warwickshire County Council Coun George Finch who has given local town and parish councils permission to remove resident-installed Union flags and St George’s flags from certain lamp posts so that Christmas lights can be safely installed.
He said: “I am immensely proud of our national flags. The Union Flag and the Cross of St George are symbols of our shared values and legacy. Like many, I have been delighted to see residents across Warwickshire flying them in our town and village centres.
“However, as we head into the Christmas period, local councils are now putting up their Christmas lights. In a number of places, contractors have advised that they will not install lights on lampposts which already have flags fixed to them. They have raised clear health and safety issues that we simply cannot ignore, these included but are not limited to the issue of flags wrapping around lamp columns in wet and windy conditions and potentially coming into contact with lights, creating a fire risk.”
Coun Finch continued: “Once these concerns were put to me, the choice was stark – I either refused permission to remove flags and accepted that Christmas lights would not go up in certain streets this year, or give permission to councils to take down flags in those specific locations so that lights can be installed safely.
“I have chosen the pragmatic option. I will not deprive our towns and villages of their Christmas lights, which are key drivers of local pride and are vital for the small businesses that rely on increased footfall during the Christmas shopping season.”
Under the decision flags will only be taken down where Christmas lights are being installed. In streets or areas where no lights are planned, flags will remain in place.
This is a temporary, seasonal measure. Coun Finch and his Cabinet are actively encouraging residents to put flags back up in the New Year, once Christmas lights have come down.
Coun Finch added: “This was always a moment that was always going to come. No one could realistically have expected the flags, exposed to the elements on busy streets, to remain in perfect condition forever. In five or ten years’ time, many of them would be faded, torn and hanging in a sorry state. That is not how we should treat the flags of our nation.
“What I am proposing is a sensible pattern and solution. During the winter and Christmas period, when the weather is at its worst and the lights need to go up, flags come down in those particular locations. Then, in the New Year, residents are encouraged to put their flags back up – fresh, tidy and in good condition. That way, we honour our flags properly, rather than leaving them to rot.”
