Aberdeen City Council looking for contractor to 'take down illegal flags'

Aberdeen City Council is looking to hire an external contractor to take flags down from lampposts after its employees faced abuse.

A notice on Public Contracts Scotland, published on February 6, advertises for a company to complete the removal and disposal of “approximately 100 illegally attached flags”.

In November, the local authority revealed that staff were subjected to verbal threats on Provost Watt Drive while they were attempting to install Christmas lights.

Saltires were put up across the country last year, with some associated with anti-immigration campaign groups.

The action coincided with demonstrations against housing asylum seekers in hotels, with several protests having taken place in Aberdeen.

Aberdeenshire and Falkirk councils also said workers had faced abuse while attempting to detach flags from street lights earlier this year.

Under the terms of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, it is an offence to attach items such as flags, signs, or banners to lampposts and other road infrastructure.

The deadline for contractors to submit an application to Aberdeen City Council is February 12.