TUV Councillor and Strangford candidate Stephen Cooper last night succeeded in moving a notice of motion to amend the existing flag policy of Ards and North Down Borough Council and ensure all War Memorials will fly the Union Flag all year round.
The motion was to fly the Union flag at all war memorials throughout the borough 365 days a year and also stipulated the inclusion of the Church Street Council offices in Newtownards to switch from designated days to also flying the National flag all year round.
Cllr Cooper said:
‘I am pleased that tonight I have succeeded to amend the discrepancy arising from the embarrassing situation last year on the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh when many constituents were rightly upset at the inability to fly our Union flag at half-mast on various war memorials, due to our policy which had only selected sites flying the flag all year round.
”Tonight my motion has rectified the matter and I am delighted that we will see the Union flag, the flag of our great nation, flying proudly at all war memorials 365 days a year.
”It was also previously brought to my attention that the office at Church Street in Newtownards was the only site out of kilter with other prominent Council office buildings, still left behind with the designated days policy.
”As a result of my motion, it will now also come into line with the 365 days a year policy, and we will have uniformity across all sites.
”It is only right and proper we give respect to our fallen heroes in both World Wars and subsequent conflicts. I am grateful for Cllr Tom Smith for seconding me and for his robust and unstinting support, and to all other Unionists who rallied to the call and did the right thing.
”I look forward to seeing the Union Flag in all respective locations in due course.”
Councillor Cooper’s motion read:
”This Council amends the current flag policy to fly our Union Flag at every War Memorial all year round, and will also include Chruch Street Newtownards Council building.”
The council will now carry out an equality impact assessment in line with section 75 of the 1998 NI Act to ascertain feedback from the general public via consultation and then come to ratification of this change.