Council sorry for ordering flags down

Carolyn Wilkins

OLDHAM Council has apologised after a sheltered housing scheme was ordered to take down England flags during the EU referendum vote.

Trinity House in Godson Street, Coldhurst, was told to remove the flags - supporting the England football team in Euro 2016 - by a council officer because it was being used as a polling station.

One person who complained to the Chronicle called the decision a "disgrace".

A spokesman for the Electoral Commission confirmed there was no ban on flags at polling stations, but that it was up to the discretion of the presiding officer whether to allow them.

He added that many premises that were used as polling stations on Thursday, such as schools, would have had flags up for the Euros and the Queen's 90th birthday.

Oldham Council chief executive Carolyn Wilkins, the borough's returning officer, said: "We are sorry for any offence caused.

"To be clear, as a council we actively encourage the use of flags during major sporting events - and do it ourselves.

"We are looking into what happened."

A polling station at an athletics club in Enfield, London, was also told to remove England flags after complaints it looked like an "EDL rally".