Council hides identity of company tearing down Union Jack flags after shelling out £16k

The council has spent approximately £16,584.98 of taxpayers’ money to pull down 404 flags in the city of Oxford and surrounding areas, the Oxford Mail has reported.

Equating to £41 a flag, the council said the cost covers registering and booking road space, traffic management plans, traffic management equipment, the use of a mobile elevated working platform and additional staff to ensure safety is upheld.

In a letter, Sean Rooney, Head of Service for Highway Maintenance said: “A subcontractor is being used to carry out this work to ensure it does not impact routine and non-routine highway operations.

“The council is withholding the identity of the subcontractor under regulation 12(5)(e) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004; commercial sensitive."

The letter added that the subcontractor “forms part of the council’s supply chain arrangements” and revealing the company’s identity “would place them at a competitive disadvantage and would prejudice the council’s ability to secure value for money in current and future negotiations”.

Oxfordshire County Council had previously revealed workmen taking down the flags were covering their faces whilst working as they encountered “aggressive behaviour” from some individuals.

It warned that putting up flags posed a “serious safety hazard”.

Oxfordshire County Council previously said in a statement regarding the safety of erected Union Jacks: “As a council we proudly fly both the Union Jack and St George’s flags.

“However, placing flags or painting them on or near highways can create serious safety hazards.

“These include reduced visibility for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, and increased risk of distraction.

“In addition, installing flags on street furniture or near roads can lead to personal injury or property damage.

“For these reasons, we strongly advise people against doing so.

“To keep everyone safe, our teams have been removing flags and other unauthorised attachments from streetlights during routine maintenance or where they pose an immediate risk.

“With the current darker, windier and wetter weather, these risks are increasing.

Despite this, the council said they “very much welcome” residents to erect flags on their own private property.

This revelation comes as residents in Birmingham congregated to tear down Union Jacks in what organisers called a “de-flagging celebration”.

Gathering in the suburb of Moseley, a middle-class area of the city, locals pulled down the country’s flag.

The flags were originally erected by “Operation Raise the Colours” one week prior to this event.

Carol Williams, one activist participating in the flag removal, said the Union Jacks have become “symbols of vision”.

She told the BBC: "The flags themselves are not racist or non-patriotic, but the intent behind them most definitely is."