The Reform administration at Havering Council says flying national flags at the town hall is a boost for local pride – despite the main opposition group calling it “political posturing”.
Flags were not flown at Havering Town Hall, in Romford, under the previous administration as the roof requires repairs costing thousands.
In the meantime, the council has used a flagpole on the front lawn.
Council leader Keith Prince said: “For too long, residents were told that these flags could not be returned until the town hall roof had been repaired.
“The roof still has not been repaired, yet the Union Flag, the Cross of St George and the Havering borough flags are now flying again.
“Reform UK has privately funded the repairs to the flagpoles because we believe these symbols matter and we were not prepared to accept that nothing could be done.
“These flags represent our country, England and the borough we are proud to serve. They belong on our town hall and it is fantastic to see them back where they belong.
“This is another small but important step in restoring civic pride across Havering.”
Nigel Farage’s party – led locally by Cllr Prince – won control of the town hall after the May local election, overturning the Havering Residents’ Association’s (HRA) minority administration. The independent group now serves as the official opposition.
Councillor Gillian Ford, now the leader of the HRA group on the council, said: “The Union Flag has been consistently flown outside the town hall despite the rhetoric that ‘the flag is once again flying at the town tall’. This is political posturing.
“If Reform UK is funding it, it is a shame they didn’t use their donation to go towards the mayor’s charity supporting those in need.
“Whilst symbolic, civic pride is not confined to a flag, it is the services and actions that take place within our communities,” she continued.
“Residents need hope and support, with promises that deliver actions that make a real difference to their lives. A flag on its own cannot deliver that.”
Flying flags on the town hall has been the focus of an evolving political row, after Reform said it would not fly Pride flags during June.
The ban was announced just days before a Pride ceremony, which was similarly scrapped. The leadership said the Union Flag sufficiently represented everyone.
Share