More concerns are flagged up
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THE long-running and troubled bid to come up with a county flag for Sutherland continued this week after a shortlist of four designs were unveiled.
*Scroll down to see the designs*
Residents in the county now have three weeks to vote for their favourite out of the four.
However, there could still be yet more controversy ahead with criticisms already emerging of the four designs.
It is more than a year since a competition was first launched by Sutherland Lord Lieutenancy, guided by the Flag Institute, to design a county flag.
Some 350 entries were received but the final choice of a selection panel, revealed in January, was ridiculed and a call was made for all local people to be given a say in the winning design.
There followed months of "reflection" by the Lord Lieutenancy before it was announced in early October that "in the interests of county unity", a shortlist of designs would be revealed and a public vote allowed.
The reviled initial winning flag – a swooping eagle on a bright red and yellow background with three 'mullets' or stars has been included in the shortlist.
It was lambasted as a "budgie with a smirk" although it did have its supporters.
Many objectors to the winning design claimed the wildcat was the symbol for Sutherland, and a wildcat is the central feature of one of the four shortlisted designs. It is on a yellow and maroon background.
A third flag shows three golden stars on a red vertical stripe with a blue background.
And the fourth flag depicts an overlaid Saltire and Nordic crosses with a golden sun on the middle and a white background.
An explanation of the meaning and symbolism behind all four designs is given on the Flag Institute's website where votes can also be registered and where the criteria for who can vote is outlined (www.flaginstitute.org/wp/newhome/sutherland).
Northern Times readers can also place their vote by filling in the cut-out voucher on page three of this week's paper or by sending a letter and postcard stating their choice to Sutherland Flag, c/o Highland Council, Drummuie, Golspie, Sutherland, KW10 6TA. Voting closes on Monday, November 26.
All four designs have been praised by vexillologist Philip Tibbetts, who has helped the Lord Lieutenancy run the competition and who is understood to have been responsible for digitalising the images.
He said: "All the finalists will make superb, bold flags and they showcase the rich range of heritage that the county enjoys.
"I look forward to seeing which design the public choose and fully commend the competition organisers for setting this vote up so rigorously."
But a warning has gone out that the results of the vote will be binding with no going back this time.
Mr Tibbetts said: "The vote will be considered to give the winner a binding mandate which will consequently be submitted back to the Court of the Lord Lyon."
However, Rogart resident Leslie Sharp, who spearheaded the battle against the "budgie" flag and launched a petition, is not so impressed.
He told the Northern Times earlier this week that the cat resembled a "bald cheetah" and that he has written to Lord Lieutenant Dr Monica Main to protest the choices presented.
He said: "The Flag Institute are insulted we said 'No' to the design – that is fair enough. But at least give us a decent choice.
"The Institute is not representative of Sutherland but they are the ones doing the final rendering of the flags."
Mr Sharp has posted online two examples of flags he feels better represent the area.
To see them, visit www.change.org and search for Sutherland flag.
Meanwhile, the flag which gains the most votes out of the four will be revealed at an unveiling event which is currently in the process of being planned.
