Update on county flag proposal expected

A competition to design a flag was run by the Lieutenancy earlier this year but ended in chaos following an outcry about the design selected.

Members of the public dismissed the swooping eagle on a yellow and red background as a "budgie with a smirk" and queried why a public vote had not been held.

Rogart resident Leslie Sharp set up a petition against the flag, which was signed by 790 people.

The design was never registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon, although it is showing as the county flag on the website of the Flag Institute.

As the furore raged, members of the Lord Lieutenancy said they wanted a "period of reflection" and have remained tihgt-lipped since.

Mr Sharp told the Northern Times that his attempts to find out what was happening had not been successful.

He said: "As of last Friday the Court of the Lord Lyon had still not received any further instruction regarding the desigh."

However it is understood that the Lieutenancy held a meeting recently to discuss the issue.

The Northern Times this week approached Colin Gilmour, spokesman for the flag selection committee to ask what was happening. But he responded that he was no longer the cotact for the flag.

However a source, who did not want to be named, said: "It is a delicate situation but there is a solution emerging and all will be revealed very shortly. Cognisance obviously had to be taken of the level of objection."