HARLOW Council leader Dan Swords is adamant that the hundreds of flags placed on Harlow lamp posts are here to stay.

The flags were put on in September as part of campaign called Raise The Colours which raised awareness of a far right demonstration organised in London.

Opinions have alway been divided. Initially, a lot of Harlow residents liked seeing their national flags flying high but as the months rolled on, the flags have decayed and now look like a tatty mess.

Others, from the beginning felt very uncomfortable with the far right backing of the campaign as well as the aggression from those who put the flags up.

Many expected that after the Conservatives landslide victory in Harlow, council leader, Dan Swords would have take the opportunity to say, this was the right time to remove them.

There had been discussions centred around having a number of new flagpoles around the town where bright, shiny union flags as well as the flag of St George could fly high.

For many there feels like a contradiction in many of Dan Sword’s announcements. His own council team spent April cleaning many many traffic signs that are the property of Essex County Council. Yet when it comes to the flags (see quote below).

Whatever the motivation and intention of many, the flags have created division in the town, which seems to run counter to Dan Swords statement on Friday which stated:

A safer, cleaner and prouder Harlow.

Protecting our communities means standing up to crime, anti-social behaviour and environmental disorder wherever they occur.

Because Building Harlow’s Future is about more than new buildings and investment – it’s about creating places where people are proud to live.

We asked Harlow Council for a statement.

A Harlow Council spokesperson said: “Harlow Council’s position on flags attached to Essex County Council lampposts remains unchanged from that set out previously.

“Harlow Council remains focused on delivering its six missions to Build Harlow’s Future not removing the Union Flag or St George’s flag from lampposts.

“Furthermore, these lampposts are owned by Essex County Council, not Harlow Council. Any removal of flags would therefore be a matter for Essex County Council. In addition, work on highway lampposts requires road closures, licences and permits, all of which are the responsibility of Essex County Council.”