A 70-year-old man who has been told to remove a flagpole from outside his sheltered accommodation home is trying to win the right to continue flying fly his flags.A row broke out last week when 70-year-old Patrick Sullivan [left] put the 20ft flagpole outside his bungalow in Highwoods Square, Colchester. Within days he was asked by Colchester Borough Homes, which owns the building, to take it down, following complaints from other residents.
Mr Sullivan said he wanted fly the Union Flag because he is very “patriotic”. Independent ward councillor, Beverley Oxford, who received the complaints, said the council had no authority to ask Mr Sullivan to take it down because he was breaking no planning laws. Mr Sullivan unsucessfully stood for the BNP in last year’s council elections.
Gordon Steed, tenancy services manager, said: “We asked Mr Sullivan to take his flagpole down, because he put it up without asking us for permission.
“All tenants need to have written permission from us before making alterations to their homes, irrespective of whether they need planning permission or not for those changes. The decision to ask him to take down the flagpole was purely made on this basis. It was not taken because of the views held by the tenant. We are investigating the complaints which have been made about the flags. Our tenancy conditions say people should not cause nuisance or annoyance to their neighbours. We will examine whether or not it is happening in this case, and take appropriate action. Our goal is to make sure people feel happy and safe in their homes. We respect the fact that many people are patriotic, and do not discriminate against them because of this.”
Mr Sullivan said he would write and ask for permission, but he is also planning to launch a petition in the area to find out what people really think of the flagpole.
Colchester and North Essex Gazette
Someones left a good comment to the story
ReplyDelete"Gideon Smythe, Wivenhoe says...
1:39pm Wed 11 Feb 09
No need for a petition Mr Sullivan, it looks hideous.
However, if you enjoy collecting flags I've got some brand new ones from a selection of countries around the world.
Interested? No, I thought not."
Silly old bastard.
ReplyDeleteI'd just rip the buggers down. What an eyesore.
ReplyDeleteThe soppy old spunker.
ReplyDeleteI think its great really, another nutjob joins the ranks of the BNP and then alienates all those around him; perfect!
He's only doing it to stir up trouble and get publicity for the BNP.
ReplyDeleteIt's obviously meant as a provocation to ethnic minorities, especially the Crusader's flag of the non-existent St George.
But unfortunately the management are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Best to sneak up in the early hours and tear them down unofficially.
"Mr Sullivan said he would write and ask for permission, but he is also planning to launch a petition in the area to find out what people really think of the flagpole."
ReplyDeleteA petition won't answer his question, though a questionnaire might, depending how it's written. I'd respond, as long as there was a section 'It looks like shit. Take it down, you old fool'. It'd work for me.
"It's obviously meant as a provocation to ethnic minorities, especially the Crusader's flag of the non-existent St George."
ReplyDeleteNot true mate; not everything is as simple as that. Its all very white around there and this has fuck all to do with race I think. He's just a silly old twit out to wind up the council and the established party's locally.
If he thinks that Gri££in's mob of morons are going to help matters he's going to be in for a shock! lol
Typical arrogance of everyone in the BNP. They have the right to do what they want when they want and fuck everybody else and their opinions. The flags are a mess, no matter which country they're from. Take them down.
ReplyDeleteevil commies showing you're true clours
ReplyDeleteWithin days he was asked by Colchester Borough Homes, which owns the building, to take it down, following complaints from other residents.
ReplyDeleteMr Sullivan said he wanted fly the Union Flag because he is very “patriotic”.
So he doesn't care that they annoy other people, just say he's very "patriotic".
"Typical arrogance of everyone in the BNP. They have the right to do what they want when they want and fuck everybody else and their opinions."
Seems to me that's the truth of it.
'evil commies showing you're true clours'
ReplyDeleteEducated at the BNP School of English, were we?
Look at the picture full size - who the hell would want to live next door to that mess?
ReplyDeletePerhaps they will come round and direct Dicky to take down his 2 flag poles as well.
ReplyDeletetulip
why he should need 2 is beyond me, but, perhaps he had had a glass or 2 and just got carried away.
Patriotic? Yes, perhaps one flag; a lapel badge; or regular attendance at appropriate events.
ReplyDeleteSix flags on a 20' flagpole next to pensioners' bungalows?
Prat.
"why he should need 2 is beyond me, but, perhaps he had had a glass or 2 and just got carried away."
ReplyDeleteTulip - Since when has he been able to count as high as that ?
Old Sailor
'evil commies showing you're true clours'
ReplyDeleteYou don't need to be a 'commie' to see that this old idiot is a pain in the arse to his neighbours.