A summer of flags – how many went up, how many came down, how much it all cost
Taxpayers in Wiltshire are paying for hazardous flags to be taken down
This summer Wiltshire caught a dose of the semiotic territorialisation that was doing the rounds across England and beyond.
Sparked by fears and anger over the housing of refugees in local communities, and egged on by certain sections of the media and political class, St George crosses started to appear on lamp-posts around the county.
Those in favour of the flags said they were a demonstration of patriotism. Those against claimed they were an attempt to intimidate minority groups.
Then the painting of roundabouts began, in a move Wiltshire Council described as “vandalism”.
In early September red tape was laid across Westbury’s famous white horse, and removed without damaging the monument.
Then the white horse at Alton Barnes was similarly branded, although the red paint quickly washed off in heavy rain.
And the lion on his plinth at Monument Hill near Devizes was given a St George cross to hold. And when that was removed, a Union Flag took its place – but didn’t last long.
Wiltshire Council said the cost of removing flags and repainting roundabouts would be borne by the taxpayer.
But seemingly unwilling to march into a culture war, it has only been as active as it needed to be – removing flags only when they were considered to pose a safety hazard.
The council said it did not keep a record of how many flags had been illegally hoisted – or how many it had taken down, and at what cost.
In early December an estimated 80 flags were taken down from lampposts in Chippenham’s Hungerdown Lane.
Cllr Martin Smith, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and street scene, said: “Items such as banners, bunting, and flags that are installed on or near the highway can pose safety risks to road users.
“As a council, we have a duty to ensure that public roads remain safe and unobstructed. They may also detract from the overall tidiness of the area.
“It is our duty to ensure that public roads remain safe and accessible, and we will take action to remove any unauthorised obstructions or encroachments.
“However, due to the number of flags placed in several locations across the county, priority is given to locations where there is a heightened safety implication.
“It will take some time to remove all unauthorised items, but we are working through this as quickly as possible.”
On road markings, meanwhile, the council decided to see whether normal traffic movements would erode the paint – and it seems the gamble paid off.
Crosses in Chippenham and Devizes have disappeared without the need for expensive repainting.