COUNCILS have spent more than £70,000 taking down England and Union Jack flags from streets.
They were put up around the country over the summer — in part in response to fury over migrant hotels.
Freedom of Information requests found Yorkshire councils alone spent over £30,000, while Medway in Kent faced a £12,000 bill to remove 727 flags.
Labour councillor Alex Paterson told BBC Kent the money was “well spent”, claiming the flag campaign was driven by “far-right agitators”.
However, despite many more councils reporting removing flags, they did not log specific costs.
Meanwhile, Reform-led Nottinghamshire council is spending £75,000 to put up 150 flags to “strengthen community spirit and cohesion” — despite a £3.1million overspend this year.
We revealed earlier this week how a great-grandad was proudly flying his 50-year-old flag for Remembrance Day after it was removed by the council last month.
Former merchant navy worker Ray Betts, 86, has flown the flag outside his flat for more than half a century — attached to the stump of a cherry blossom tree he used to sit under with late wife Kay.
Five weeks ago he woke up to find it gone and Waltham Forest Council in East London later admitted they had removed it.
But after The Sun contacted the council, Ray was reunited with his flag.
He told The Sun: “I was very upset about the way they did it.
“I’m glad to have it back and they seem to realise I am not part of any movement.”
