Council seeks contractor to take down flags

Aberdeen City Council (ACC) is looking for external contractors to take down flags from lampposts after its own workers faced verbal abuse.

A notice published on Public Contracts Scotland is advertising work to "remove and dispose of approximately 100 illegally attached flags from road/street lighting columns in Aberdeen".

In November, council workers in the Kincorth area were subjected to verbal threats while taking down flags to make way for Christmas lights.

At the time, ACC said the actions raised serious concerns for the safety of its workers and appealed for the co-operation and understanding of residents.

Flags - including saltires - were put up in towns and cities across Scotland last year after a social media campaign by a group behind anti-asylum protests.

It followed similar scenes in England, where union and St George's flags were hung on lampposts and painted on traffic islands.

Flying flags from lampposts is banned under the terms of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.

Asked by BBC Scotland News for a response, an Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: "No contractor has been appointed to remove flags."

West Dunbartonshire Council also attempted to hire an outside contractor to remove flags after its staff were abused but in December it emerged no bids had been received for the work.

In September last year, Aberdeenshire Council suspended the removal of flags from lampposts after workers faced similar threats and intimidation in Peterhead.