Flags back on agenda
Thursday, 12 January 2012
The Union Jack flies over the Town Hall but councillors will tomorrow discuss its flags policy inside its civic buildings.
A special meeting of Ballymena Borough Council is being held behind closed doors tomorrow (Wednesday) to put its flags and emblems policy under the microscope.
All 24 members have received notification of what is likely to be a lively meeting to discuss what flags should be housed in the council chamber.
At present the chamber contains a number of British symbols, including the the Union standard and a portrait of the Queen is on display behind the Mayor's chair.
All council and committee meetings currently take place at the offices in Ardeevin - a practical venue since it houses the office of the Chief Executive and Town clerk, Anne Donaghy, and various other senior management staff and council departments.
However there is general agreement that the Borough's main civic building, the Braid Town Hall, should be used for all full council meetings.
It is thought members wish to resolve the issue of what flags and emblems should be on display in its civic buildings.
Tomorrow's meeting arises the from a recommendation from a cross-party working group which has been discussing the issue for several months.
The group comprised Ulster Unionist former Mayor James Currie, North Antrim MLA and DUP councillor Paul Frew, Roy Gillespie of the Traditional Unionist Voice, the SDLP's Declan O'Loan, Sinn Finn's Monica Digney, Independent James Henry and Jayne Dunlop from the Alliance Party.
Unionists dominate the council make-up with 19 of the 24 members aligned to parties of various unionist hues and independent member, James Henry, is also a supporter of the Union.
There are four nationalist/republican members - two Sinn Fein and two SDLP - and a single Alliance councillor, Jayne Dunlop.
Given the political mathematics, tomorrow's meeting is likely to see strong support for the status quo to be preserved, perhaps with some movement on how emblems are erected, although nationalists are believed to want a neutral environment, with the Borough Council's civic crest the only emblem on display.
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