Dear Mr

BOURNE TOWN HALL - FLAG

Thank you for your letter of 21^st May 2009 regarding the recent difficulties experienced with the usage of the flag pole at Bourne Town Hall.

For a number of years the flag pole at Bourne has been used to mark and honour occasions such as the Queen's Official Birthday and St George's Day by flying the appropriate flag. On these occasions it has been standard practice for the officer responsible to raise and lower the flag by accessing the cleat which is fixed in such a position that it is necessary to lean out considerably from the steps leading up to the first floor of the building and indeed, over the railings below. Some twelve months ago, on carrying out a routine inspection the Council's Health and Safety Officer reported that this practice was hardly ideal and an alternative to the current method should be sought. Unfortunately, a breakdown in communication meant that when a different officer on duty was required to fly the flag, an assumption was made that the current practice had been declared `unsafe' and the flag was consequently not raised.

This is very regrettable and has clearly caused both embarrassment and distress to the Bourne Town Council and the people of Bourne and I apologise sincerely for this.

Arrangements are now underway to ensure the situation is remedied without delay. The works should be complete next week in time for the next occasion of flag flying, the Queen's Official Birthday on the 13^th June.

I would like to thank you for your interest in this matter and assure you that the Council is taking every measure to ensure that lessons are learnt from this issue.

Yours sincerely,

Beverly Agass

Interim Chief Executive