REMOVING ‘unlawful’ Union flags and the Cross of St George from lampposts and other highways infrastructure has cost Somerset Council £4,500 a day.

The cost was revealed in answers to questions put by Somerset resident Eric Ayers to a meeting of the council’s executive on Wednesday (December 3).

Mr Ayers asked: “How much council taxpayers’ money has been wasted on removing flags, including the Union Jack and St George’s flag, from lampposts and any other highways infrastructure across the county?

“Has the work of removing these flags been done ‘in-house’, or has the council used other contractors?

“Does the council believe that removing the flags reduces any community tensions?”

Executive Cllr Richard Wilkins did not give a figure for the total amount spent on removing flags, but did state the cost of a day’s work doing so.

Cllr Wilkins said: “The cost to the taxpayer is in the region of £4,500 per day for the removal of flags, due to the volume of people and equipment needed to make this a safe activity.

“We would prefer to spend taxpayers’ money on other, more vital road maintenance.

“We have been clear that we do not allow any flags to be attached to public property.

“Doing so may put the public or council staff at risk.

“Attaching any item, including flags, to a light column on highways land without the express permission of the highways authority is unlawful under the Highways Act 1980, and we have the ability to recover our costs for removal, much like other authorities are doing.

“Anybody who wants to fly a flag on their own property is welcome to do so.”

Cllr Wilkins said the people putting up the flags did not necessarily reflect local feeling, and he warned that continuing to do so could damage Somerset’s reputation.

He said: “It is important to remember that many residents do not support these unauthorised public displays.

“If we want Somerset to remain a welcoming and vibrant place, then we need to ensure that flags are used to foster belonging, not division.

“As an executive, we are appalled to hear of the abuse and threatening behaviour directed at our staff and contractors while undertaking flag removal.

“There is no excuse for this behaviour.”

Council leader Cllr Bill Revans said: “I understand the abuse and threatening behaviour is in the hands of the police at the moment, and we will not be commenting further on that.”

Highways teams have removed lamppost flags in a number of communities across Somerset in recent weeks, only to find they were replaced within days and in some cases with more flags than were taken down.

The flag flying was prompted by a social media campaign titled ‘Operation Raise the Colours’.

MP Sir Ashley Fox, who represents the Bridgwater constituency, on Thursday (December 4) called on the council to spend money instead on improving roads.

Sir Ashley said: “Somerset is in a self-declared financial emergency and we all know how shocking the state of many of our roads has become.”