Dudley Council to fly the Union Flag all year round (From Stourbridge News)

Dudley Council to fly the Union Flag all year round

5:00pm Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News

Buy this photo » Cllr David Sparks (leader of Dudley Council), Gordan Willetts (Worcester and Foresters), Cllr Shaukat Ali, Stan West (RAFA), Ian Austin MP, John Deane (RAFA), Mayor of Dudley Cllr Melvyn Mottram. Buy photo: 401217J

DUDLEY Council bosses have decided to fly the Union Flag from the top of the Council House all year round.

The flag, which was hoisted into place on Monday, will fly atop the Priory Road building every day of the year - with the exception of national celebrations when specific flags are flown.

Councillor Melvyn Mottram, Mayor of Dudley, said:“This year has been a truly memorable one for this country with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the hugely successful Olympics.

“We have all seen tremendous scenes of the Union Flag being held and flown with great pride on these occasions and I welcome the decision of the council.”

The news has also been welcomed by the Royal British Legion and Dudley North MP Ian Austin who launched a campaign seven-years ago to get the flag flying all year round.

Mr Austin, who organised petitions, made speeches and visited Downing Street to raise the issue, said the flag symbolised the “greatest country on earth.”

The MP said: “Getting the council to overturn the old rules and fly the flag every day was one of my pledges at the last election so I’m delighted the new leader of the Council David Sparks and his deputy Cllr Shaukat Ali have taken this decision.

“Countries all over the world fly their flags at town halls, schools and government buildings because they understand it is a symbol of national unity and pride, a symbol that belongs to all the people, which unites them and their fellow citizens.

“Coming just after the Olympics when all of Britain came together to cheer the Union flag and athletes who waved it so proudly, this gives people in Dudley a chance to show their pride in the flag.

“For me it demonstrates our pride and symbolises our belief that this is the greatest country on earth with a unique attachment to the values of freedom, fairness, democracy, tolerance and equality.”

Other flags flown from the civic building include the St George’s flag on St George’s Day, the Armed Forces Flag which is flown throughout Armed Forces Week in June and the borough flag which is used on days when full council meetings are held.