Council 'not doing enough' to mark war anniversary

Taylor Cowley-Coulton said the council should, at the very least, hold a flag-raising ceremony

A council is being accused of not doing enough to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day on Friday.

The occasion commemorates the Japanese surrender, which effectively meant the end of World War Two.

Taylor Cowley-Coulton, a Conservative member of Northampton Town Council, said it was "absolutely horrifying" that West Northamptonshire Council is not, at the very least, organising a flag-raising ceremony.

The Reform UK-controlled authority said it would be observing a two-minute silence across its buildings and flying the Union Jack.

Although the surrender document was not signed until 2 September 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced that his country would capitulate on 15 August.

Several communities in Northamptonshire have organised events to mark the 80th anniversary, including North Northamptonshire Council, which will display peace lamps at five of its offices.

But a recent statement by West Northamptonshire Council invited residents to "come together to mark VJ Day in a number of ways" and advertised a national two-minute silence.

Huge celebrations took place in London on VJ Day in 1945

Cowley-Coulton, an army reservist, has written to the council "with some amount of disappointment regarding a lack of events and flag-raising service/ceremony".

He noted that there were "next to no events for the 80th anniversary" and called on the authority to organise a flag-raising ceremony to which veterans would be invited.

He said: “It’s the end of the last major global conflict that all nations were involved in.

"We do need to come together and we do need to remember it, and I think it’s absolutely horrifying that West Northamptonshire Council have not done that.”

‘Civic pride’

Cowley-Coulton has several relatives who served during the two World Wars, including a great uncle who was a rear gunner in a Lancaster bomber.

He said: “People need to remember their forefathers, and they need to be given the opportunity by a council to restore the civic pride that we had.”

The leader of West Northamptonshire Council, Mark Arnull, said: “We know how important the VJ Day 80th anniversary is to our communities and on Friday we absolutely will be remembering all those who courageously served and sacrificed.

"We will be observing a two-minute silence across our buildings and encouraging our communities to do the same. The Union Jack flies at our offices as a symbol of national pride and remembrance for all those who both serve and served our country.”