Hampshire County Council flag to fly at Department for Communities and Local Government
The flag representing the historic county of Hampshire has been hoisted above the department's offices.
To celebrate the important that role counties play in the nation’s cultural heritage Secretary of State Eric Pickles has asked that English county standards be flown alongside the Union Flag outside DCLG’s Eland House headquarters in Victoria, and the Hampshire County Council flag is now being flown as part of this event.
The flag representing the historic county of Hampshire.
Mr Pickles raised the first flag - for his adopted home county of Essex - in a ceremony also attended earlier this year by celebrity astrologer and long-time English county campaigner Russell Grant.
Flags are being flown for a week at a time in alphabetical order or - in cases such as Cornwall and Yorkshire - to coincide with particular county days.
Eric Pickles said:
The Union Flag rightly has pride of place outside the department but I’m delighted it will now be flown alongside our traditional and ceremonial county flags.
England’s counties continue to form an important part of our cultural and local identity in this country and many people remain deeply attached to their home county - both the traditional ‘cricket’ counties and in some cases their more modern administrative successors. This sense of pride and shared identity is 1 of the things that binds communities together and it’s right that the government department responsible for communities and local government should be actively recognising the important role they play.
Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Ken Thornber said:
Hampshire County Council is pleased and proud to have its flag flying over DCLG Headquarters forming part of this celebration of England’s counties. The people of Hampshire will also be pleased to see this recognition.
Further information
The department is obliged to fly the European Union flag during Europe Week (week beginning 9 May) under Article 7(2) of EC Regulation 1828/2006.
The Hampshire County Council flag has been kindly loaned by the local authority at no charge.
Photographs of the county flags will be added to the DCLG Flickr channel