County's flag finally flying but public opinion still split
LESSONS have been learned as a result of the debacle over the Sutherland flag, according to a flag expert who oversaw the selection process.
Vexillologist Philip Tibbetts spoke out as the new county flag was finally unveiled at a ceremony in Drummuie last Friday – nearly two years after the initiative was first announced.
The winning design features a Saltire and a Nordic Cross on a white background with a star representing the sun.
It was chosen by a public vote and supersedes a previous design of an eagle on a red and yellow background, picked by a panel.
The Lord Lieutenancy, who initiated the flag design competition, had not intended to hold a public vote but was forced to do so after an outcry over the panel's choice.
Last Friday's ceremony was attended by Sutherland Lord Lieutenant Monica Main and members of her team, along with veterans and crew members from HMS Sutherland, the warship affiliated to the county.
Addressing the gathering Mr Tibbetts, who apologised that the Lord Lyon of Scotland Dr Joseph Morrow was unable to be there, conceded that the process had "not been without some issues".
He said: "There was genuine concerns about whether the resources were there to run a competition, which was the original reason to have a selection panel. We have leaned from that and changed our process as a result.
"I ultimately have to commend the flag committee for not reacting in a knee-jerk sort of way and for being able to sit down and understand what the true picture of things in the county were and accept that a public vote was probably a good thing to set up to resolve any issues fairly."
According to Mr Tibbetts, just over 3000 votes were cast with 29 per cent of those – 921 – voting for the white flag. "The results are some of the highest participation in Scotland. Per capita it is the biggest percentage of any community in Scotland," he said.
"I was at the East Lothian flag unveiling last night (last Thursday) and they had 1500 votes. The Sutherland competition, which was focused purely on local residents, managed to get 3000 which is a testament to the designs."
Mr Tibbetts praised the flag as "a real showcase of what good flag design is" and said it was free for everyone to use and could be flown without permission.
He said unveiling a county flag was an "important moment in any community's history", adding: "Neighbours in Caithness have made a huge success of their flag and Orkney. There is no reason Sutherland cannot replicate that."
Lord Lieutenant Monica Main said the winning design was "striking". But opponents to the previous winning design have given the new flag a lukewarm response.
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Rogart resident Leslie Sharp was instrumental in persuading the Lord Lieutenancy to have a public vote. He had also called for the competition to be re-run in the hope of a fresh set of designs. Describing the winning design as the "best of a bad bunch", he said: "It is a sad set of circumstances in which we adopt a flag. The whole competition was messed up from start to finish and it is clear we have talent enough in Sutherland for a much better design."
Reaction on the Northern Times Facebook page has ranged from "Boring", "Oh Dear" and "Could have been worse" to "A big improvement", "That's much better" and "Thank God, the last flag was awful".
* See this week's Northern Times for more pictures from the Drummuie flag raising ceremony.
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