Council press ahead with 'questionable' year-round Union flag proposal

A local Council have moved ahead with plans to fly the Union flag from a number of council buildings, a policy described by an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) as having a 'questionable' rationale.

Councillors on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council first ratified the proposal to fly the flag all year round on a number of named buildings in October 2021.

It was proposed the flag be flown year-round at County Derry locations Coleraine Town Hall, Cloonavin, Limavady Council Office and Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre.

Ballymoney Town Hall, Riada House, Ballymoney and Portrush Town Hall were also included in the proposal, along with Portstewart Town Hall, now removed from the proposal following its closure.

Equality and Good Relations guidance recommended that an EQIA be carried out on the proposal, the results of which were presented to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on Tuesday.

The report concluded it would be appropriate to fly the Union flag at Council headquarters, but 'the rationale for its display at every Council location, facility and leisure centre would be questionable'.

The assessment also found that 48.6% of 177 staff who completed the survey had indicated an opposition to the proposal and cited concerns that community relations among the staff could be affected.

Benbradagh councillor Kathleen McGurk said the report raised some 'interesting points'.

“I think it's very clear how divisive this issue could potentially be for Council,” she said.

“That has been borne out by results of basically 50-50 splits in a number of cases where people are either opposed to or in favour of the new policy.

Cllr Kathleen McGurk

“It is regrettable that we have potential there to damage good relations within Council, especially among staff.

“It is very clear this is an issue that is going to cause a problem for sections of the community and we would prefer to stick with the original policy that was agreed at the start of the new council.

“No change is much more likely to cause no impact; changing something we can see has the potential to cause negative impact.”

Cllr McGurk proposed to maintain the Council's original policy where the Union flag flies year-round on just two of the named buildings; Coleraine Town Hall and Cloonavin.

However, Alderman George Duddy questioned why positive attitudes to the proposal included in the report were not prominent in the presentation to Council.

Alderman George Duddy

He also raised questions about the mention of leisure centres, despite those not forming a part of the proposal.

Alderman Duddy then proposed an amendment to Cllr McGurk's proposal; that the Council press ahead with the new policy.

Limavady councillor Brenda Chivers said going with Alderman Duddy's amendment would be 'asking for trouble'.

“I don't know how you can ignore this survey,” she said.

“I thought the Council was for everyone equally, and that is not what we are doing tonight. Everybody has a right to work and live without intimidation or having flags flown.

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“In Limavady, it has been a divisive issue for so many years and I think if we go with Alderman Duddy's proposal, we are asking for trouble, and we don't want that.”

A vote was then taken on the amendment, with nine voting in favour and six against. One councillor was absent from the meeting.

The decision will go to next month's full Council meeting for ratification.