Union flag likely to return to Limavady

The official policy is still some four months away but TUV Councillor Boyd Douglas (pictured right)believes a policy of flying the Union Flag from all council-owned properties and tow halls all-year round is the most likely outcome.

That would mean the union flag would be put back up at the Limavady council offices on O’Connell Street and potentially at the town hall as well.

The current arrangements will continue for a period of four months while the new Causeway Coast and Glens council undertakes a consultation process before deciding the new flags policy.

The Union Flag has not flown from council buildings in Limavady since the nationalist majority council voted in favour of a no-flags policy.

TUV Councillor Boyd Douglas, who sits on both the old Limavady Borough Council and the new super-council, said: “Across the UK the trend is towards more frequent and prominent displays of the national flag.

“For example, until 2010 the Union Flag was flown from the Victoria Tower of the Palace of Westminster only when Parliament was sitting and on the appointed days. However, since early 2010 the national flag has been flown all the time.

“Similarly, Her Majesty’s Government recently announced plans to display the Union Flag on driving licences and on plaques, on publicly funded projects in Britain.

“I and my party colleagues Sharon McKillop and William Blair on the Causeway Coast and Glens Council therefore see no reason why the national flag shouldn’t fly all year round.

“On many councils nationalists have imposed Celtic symbols and an Irish first policy when it comes to logos for the new councils. They cannot therefore reasonably complain when unionists, in a unionist-majority council, call for the flying of the national flag 365 days a year.”

Asked whether an all-year round policy was likely to mean a return for the Union Flag at council buildings in Limavady, rather than just the council building in Coleraine, Mr Douglas said: “I think it would be council buildings and town halls so you could see the flag flown on two locations in Limavady.

“At this stage it would appear that the wider unionist community is of the view that it should be flown all year round. From my discussions with the other councillors this appears to be the most likely outcome.”

He added: “We don’t know what the policy is going to be but I would like to think that will happen. From discussions with other councillors they seem to be also in favour of an all-year round policy.”