Angry resident demands enquiry into absent flag

A NEWLY adopted council policy to fly the Union Flag in Gourock during the Remembrance weekend couldn’t be implemented — because it was too windy.

The Saltire was left fluttering on the flagpole of the town’s Municipal Buildings after officials deemed it too dangerous to make the change due to gale force gusts.

But the move sparked a furious response from disgruntled Gourockian Graham Winters, who demanded an ‘enquiry’ into why the Union Flag was missing.

In a letter sent to his ward councillor, Martin McCluskey, Mr Winters wrote: “I was horrified to see the Saltire flag being flown at half mast above the Municipal Buildings.

“This is a total disgrace and an affront to the supposed democratic process.”

Councillors agreed earlier this year to a set of rules which would see the Union Flag flying throughout Inverclyde during Remembrance.

However, because of the position of the Gourock flagpole a cherry picker crane is required to change the flag.

High winds at the weekend prohibited the use of such a hoist, the council said.

Councillor McCluskey said: “I’ve spoken to Mr Winters and explained to him that the winds were too high and that there would have been a safety issue.

“It should have been the Union Flag that was flying but there was no way to change the flag safely.”

The council — which previously had an ad-hoc flag policy — adopted a ‘Flag Flying Protocol’ in September.

In a report to elected members, council officer Iain Strachan said: “The council’s health and safety team have recently undertaken an assessment of the main flagpoles used by the council and identified that the location of the flagpole currently within Gourock Municipal Buildings needs to change.”

In his letter to Councillor McCluskey, Mr Winters — who didn’t respond to a request to comment — said: “I request that you have the leader of the council and the chief executive initiate an enquiry into the anti-British miscreant activities of officers who have perpetuated this anti-democratic treachery.”

A council spokesman said: “Due to the strong gales it was unfortunately not possible to make the necessary arrangements to change the flag.”

“were I have explained to Mr Winters that the winds too high and there was no way to ” change the flag safely