Council admits symbol for Brum ‘has not taken off’
AFLAG designed to symbolise the Second City has failed to rise to the challenge three years after it was unveiled.
City council leader Ian Ward admitted the design “hadn’t taken off ” despite the flag being unveiled in 2015 following a public competition which saw hundreds of submitted designs.
It was hoped it would have a similar impact as the black, white and red Black Country flag which can be seen displayed proudly across the four boroughs.
Aside from flying above the Council House at Victoria Square, the Birmingham flag has not enjoyed the same reception – and certainly not the same level of publicity. The issue came up for discussion during the council’s latest Business Management Committee as they signed off an application by German youngsters from BlakenfeldeMahlow to use the council’s official coat of arms on their T-shirts during a cultural visit to Birmingham later this month.
Councillor Robert Alden (Con, Erdington) did not object to the move, but questioned the purpose of the Birmingham flag if it was not going to be used instead of the coat of arms.
He said: “The justification for the flag was that we needed something when we had cultural things.”
Cllr Ward admitted the Birmingham flag has “never really taken off ”.
The final design was drawn up by then ten-year-olds Thomas Keogh and David Smith.
It features two blue triangles representing the city’s expansive canal network and a golden zigzag forming the letter M, symbolising the Roman letter for 1,000 acknowledging Birmingham’s moniker as “the city of a thousand trades”. A centralised bull’s head recognises the Bull Ring market at the heart of the city.
Cllr Mike Leddy (Lab) was a major driving force behind launching the flag while he was Deputy Lord Mayor.
He said at the time it would help instil civic pride, celebrate the city’s heritage and allow Brummies to express pride in their community.
He said: “It’s not going to take off overnight. The council has got to move forward with it. They have been reluctant with it apart from flying it outside the Council House.
“It doesn’t tell people about it ; there is no literature about it other than what I give out to people. It does need to take off because it is the community flag. It needs to be promoted more.”
It does need to take off because it is the community flag. It needs to be promoted more. Councillor Mike Leddy