Ards and North Down Borough will see an increase in flying of the union flag at public spaces in the borough, after an equality impact assessment gave the council the go-ahead on a decision made last year.
Last April in a secret meeting unionist votes carried a TUV proposal to amend flag policy by flying the flag permanently at all 13 war memorials in the borough, and at the council buildings at Church Street, Newtownards.
This decision was subject to the council’s “call in” process and to an equality impact assessment, the report of which was finally published in the agenda papers for January's full meeting of Ards and North Down Council. The council report recommended the new flag policy to elected members.
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The most recent system at Ards and North Down, voted in by the council only three years ago, had the union flag flown permanently at seven designated sites around the borough, and for 15 days per year at Church Street.
At the recent meeting of the full council, unionist and independent representatives replicated the vote, after TUV Councillor Stephen Cooper again proposed the increase in flag flying.
Alliance, the Green Party, and the SDLP opposed the amendment to flag policy. The vote was 20 for the amendment, 13 against, with seven councillors absent. An Alliance amendment to continue with previous flag policy failed.
The EQIA report concluded: “While the council is grateful for the time and effort taken by respondents, the surveys of both staff (numbering 81, that is 10.1 percent of staff total) and the public (numbering 281, that is 0.17 percent of borough population) have yielded relatively low return rates, and so cannot be relied upon to be representative of the respective populations as a whole.
"Instead they are likely to be indicative of the depth of feeling felt by respondents regarding these issues, and who were then motivated to take part.”
It summarises the data, stating: “The overwhelming majority of respondents to the public survey (85.1 percent) felt that the Union flag should fly all year round at Church Street, while 84.7 percent felt that the Union Flag should fly permanently at war memorials.
“Not surprisingly, and in common with previous surveys, community background emerged as a highly significant predictor of attitudes towards this issue, with Protestant respondents and those who identified as British being overwhelmingly supportive of the proposed policy, while Roman Catholic respondents largely rejected the proposal and most especially with regard to flying the Union flag permanently at Church Street.
“Among staff, levels of support for the flying of the Union flag permanently at Church Street were less strong than among the general public. While 42 percent agreed that it should fly permanently, an equal number (42 percent) stated that it should only fly on designated days, and 16 percent never.
“Over half of all staff who responded (58 percent) showed support for either no flags or designated days only, and this figure included all Roman Catholic respondents.
“When asked about the likely impact of the proposed policy on the promotion of a good and harmonious working environment, 24 percent either agreed or strongly agreed that the proposed policy would have a positive effect (including 33 percent of Protestant respondents), while close to half (47 percent) suggested that the effect would be either negative or very negative.
“The current policy on flag flying was also seen as problematic, with nearly one third (30 percent) stating that it has had a negative or very negative impact on the promotion of a good and harmonious environment, rising to 45 percent of Roman Catholic respondents.
“In combination, while the sample size in both surveys was relatively low in relation to the respective populations (and hence the scope for drawing strong statistical inferences is constrained), these data do suggest strong community support for the proposed policy in terms of both Church Street and affected war memorials, but a more equivocal reaction from staff. In both surveys, while numbers are low, those who self declared as Roman Catholic are far less welcoming of the proposed change to policy.”
Alliance Alderman Alan McDowell told the chamber at the full council meeting: “Most people know that Alliance Party policy is to support designated days to ensure an inclusive and welcoming borough, and to recognise there are differing views on the matter. This report suggests there is a majority that more and more people are supporting the idea of designated days.”
TUV Councillor Stephen Cooper said: “The anomaly is only Church Street, the rest of our council buildings have the union flag flying 365.” He added: “I hope all people can respect the democratic wishes of the people of Northern Ireland to stay within the United Kingdom and fly our national flag.”
UUP Councillor Philip Smith said: “I do believe we can fly the flag respectfully 365 days a year, and that is because the Equality Commission says in its own advice that you can have an harmonious working environment, but that does not necessarily mean a neutral one.”
SDLP Councillor Joe Boyle said: “I believe that neither the DUP or the UUP want particularly to get involved in this battle of unionist outdoing unionist. Both I believe want to build an all-inclusive borough, where all our citizens can feel welcome and respected.”
He added: “70 percent of councils either fly no flags, a council flag, or replicate our current policy. It is recognised any proposed increase in the number of flags on or close by council premises may create a potential chill factor, and hence adverse impact for users and potential users of council facilities and premises. And in particular those from a Roman Catholic and/or nationalist/republican background.”
He said of the Church Street council chamber and its interior emblems: “No other council expects members of the public or staff to conduct their meetings and business in such surroundings.”
He added: “To unravel our policy would be to seriously contradict our thinking that we are an open, welcoming, progressive borough to visit, to live, and to do business in. Are we really trying to sell and market this thing to the public?”
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