We know many of you are keen to understand the current situation with the flag brackets in the town centre, and why they cannot be used now. We miss seeing the flags too, especially now the sun is shining!
As we reported in our February newsletter, we must ensure that the fixings for each bracket meets required safety standards and current codes of practice. For the last few months we have been checking each bracket, which has proved to be a complex task. Each bracket is different, the building materials vary, and many properties that the brackets are affixed to are Listed, which means additional heritage considerations must be taken into account. Unfortunately, many of the existing fixings do not meet modern safety requirements, so detailed assessments are necessary.
To ensure this work is done thoroughly and safely, we have engaged a senior, professionally accredited structural engineer and project manager to support the Council throughout the process. We are currently completing load calculations for every bracket and obtaining quotes from specialist testing companies. We expect the full testing of all bracket fixings to be completed by April. We appreciate your patience while we work to make the brackets safe for future use.
We’ll keep you updated here, so please keep an eye out.