Council 'disappointed' after union jack flag defaced

Nottinghamshire County Council has said it is "extremely disappointed" after one of its union jack flag banners was vandalised in Newark.

The damaged flag, in Farndon Road, has now been replaced.

The Reform UK-led authority's £75,000 project started in December, with 164 union jack flags being fixed to lamp-posts in 82 areas across Nottinghamshire.

Council leader Mick Barton said the flags had the potential to "strengthen community spirit", but one opposition councillor said they were "divisive".

"Work will be taking place to replace a banner which was recently vandalised on Farndon Road in Newark," the authority said.

"We are extremely disappointed that someone would desecrate a banner depicting our national flag.

"Where we can identify those responsible, we will report these sorts of incidents to the police as acts of criminal damage."

The authority said it did not report the damage in Newark to police.

The cost of the project came under scrutiny when it was announced in October, with Labour and Conservative politicians calling the spending of taxpayers' money on the project "ridiculous".

Each flag, which have been described by the authority as banners, costs about £457, including brackets, traffic management and cherry pickers.

Barton said they would be reused throughout the year for events such as Armistice Day, Christmas and Easter.

The flag movement gathered pace on social media last summer, with those behind it saying they were motivated by pride and patriotism.

Others expressed discomfort due to tensions running high across England over immigration and the St George cross often being used to promote far-right groups.

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