New woes for flagging authority
Council flag flown upside down in new embarrassment
A council that defied national demands to fly the Union flag at half-mast to mark Lady Thatcher's funeral has suffered more flag embarrassment.
A passing resident has now photographed the council's flag flying upside down at its flagship Kingswood offices.
This latest embarrassment comes just days after Labour and LibDem councillors snubbed official national guidance from the College of Arms stating that councils should fly the Union flag at half-mast as a mark of respect during Lady Thatcher’s funeral. As a result, opposition councillors were branded 'petty and disrespectful' by Conservatives on the authority.
During the row, it was revealed that the flagpole at the authority's Yate office - one of its 3 major office sites along with Kingswood and Thornbury - was broken.
Conservative councillor Trevor Jones (Con, Frenchay & Stoke Park) said:
"You really couldn't make it up - these latest flag woes just add to the damaging impression that South Gloucestershire Council is dogged by pettiness, disrespect and sheer incompetence ever since Labour and LibDem councillors imposed major bureaucratic changes in how the council is run."
The upside down flag has since been reported to the authority's Deputy Chief Executive and action is now being taken to fly the flag the right way up