This appeared on the DCC website yesterday:
"18/06/08: Last chance to join the search for a Dorset flag
Creative Dorset people have just a few more days to enter their design ideas for a flag for the county.
Local newspapers have joined with Dorset County Council to publicise the search for a flag which can represent the county. Entries have already been sent in but there's still time to send your idea before the competition closes on 27 June.
Council Chairman John Peake said: "Over the years the idea of a flag has surfaced several times. Recent work by a group promoting a flag called the Dorset Cross has shown that there is a lot of support for the idea.
"Through local newspapers I asked residents to submit their designs and we now have numerous possibilities. You now have until the end of June to send in any last minute entries then the process to choose one will begin."
A panel chaired by Graham Bartram, Chief Vexillologist (flag expert) at the Flag Institute, will look at all the entries using a list of agreed criteria to shortlist four. Local people will then have the chance to vote for their favourite.
Mr Bartram, who has advised several counties on choosing a flag design, said: "Simplicity is the key. A good flag should be simple enough that a child could draw it. It should not include too many colours and should have a historical significance for the county it represents."
Mr Bartram has helped draw up the criteria on which judging will be based. He will be joined on the judging panel by Dorset's Lord Lieutenant Mrs Anthony Pitt-Rivers, High Sheriff John Raymond, Dorset's two Members of Youth Parliament Anna Barker and Omar Sharif and Dorset Echo editor David Murdock.
Mr Peake added: "I am delighted to see so much interest in this competition. It shows that there is a great deal of pride in the county."
The conditions of the competition are available at the right hand side (PDF). All designs which have already been submitted through local newspapers will automatically be entered into the shortlisting. Any further entries should be sent c/o Cllr John Peake."
I have read through the terms and conditions.
- Anyone in Dorset, Bournemoutn and Poole can enter until next Friday 27th at midnight. One entry per person.
- Four entries will be selected by the panel and these will be published
- Public will vote on favourite flag - by post or 'drop points'.
- There will be a prize draw of £50 for those that enter.
Well, this is great, but a shame now that we have sold in the region of 220 flags across the county and are still getting exposure from the likes of the Western Daily Press. Saying that - people now have until next Friday to get an entry in - it's not long is it?
So there'll be a vote. Do I trust the Dorset people not to do the obvious and vote green and blue? All depends on the 4 selected shortlisted I suppose. I'm very glad Graham Bartram is aboard - it's a shame that his guidelines didn't come out two months ago.
I feel that the panel is fair. They are high ranking officials of Dorset.
Thoughts anyone?
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3 comments:
The Dorset County Council could have done a lot worse in deciding how to deal with the flag question in which it has now chosen to get involved. However it is essential to realise that there is no authority assigned to to the council to intervene at all. It has no greater say in the matter than any other organisation, or indeed any individual.
The council can certainly not make any flag official. Official flags are the result of a decision of central government, in practice (unless the flags are for the armed forces) after it has the College of Arms.
Many Dorset people have already decided to use the white cross edged in red on a golden field, and there is no reason on earth why they should not continue to do so, whatever the outcome of the vote. The vote will not decide the issue; only the actual practice of ordinary people can do that.
Sadly, due to the local councils inferiority complex they have taken this all to far. I hope the Dorset Cross makes it to the final four, I'd be surprised, and should the Doset Cross win it'll be amazing...
However the more likely result when councils interfer in this sort of thing is that they choose something people aren't interested in. i.e. a flag that will not be loved or thought highly of.
I wish David you had involved the council more from the start, this competition idea is a waste of time, also voting is largely a waste of time, if you can only vote of 4 predeterminded flags I hardly call that fair.
So rooting for you, but not expecting much... sorry
This is a bizarre comment to be making!
Involved the council more from the start!??!?!?! Why do you think we went it alone - THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED!!!
The council aren't involved in the selection process - the 5 panel members are and one of them is a Flag Institute chief vexillologist!
If you have too many flags to vote on, you will spread the vote far too thinly across many designs that are likely to be similar!
Ultimately - have you read above, what stephanus has to say? It doesn't matter what the council say - they have no authority whatsoever to make a flag official - all they can do is endorse.
I think you need to lighten up a bit mate - we have a very strong chance of winning given that Wimborne Town Council have now endorsed it!
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