A "patriotic" St George's Cross roundabout has sparked furious uproar in a "multicultural town".
Durham County Council spent £12,000 on the transformation on the A167 roundabout in Chilton, County Durham.
The roundabout had previously been a simple grass verge - but has now been gravelled over with a patriotic floral display arranged to form England's flag.
Labour MP Alan Strickland, who represents Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor, has led the outrage over the display.
Mr Strickland accused the council of failing to properly engage with locals before funding the makeover.
"This is yet another sign that our Reform-led council are completely unserious about how they spend our money," he raged.
Chilton Town Council also disagreed with the plans, citing concerns about the cost.
But Reform county councillor Stephen Bowron mounted a robust defence of the scheme, arguing the roundabout would become a "recognised landmark" that would demonstrate the passion Chilton locals feel for their nation.
He said he had consulted around 70 people through local resident groups, all of whom supported the proposal.
Residents are up in arms over a 'patriotic' roundabout with floral displays arranged to form St George's flag
|JOE QUINN
Mr Bowron said: "Chilton has finally got a bit of a landmark to show our patriotic pride to follow up the fabulous mural we have in our village."
But Reform UK county councillor Joe Quinn told LBC the new roundabout “looks really good.”
“It was a plain grassed roundabout - and it's now got a lovely St George’s cross made out of poppies.
“To be perfectly honest with you, I live nearby, and it looks absolutely fantastic.”
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The town, home to roughly 4,500 people, already features a mural depicting a soldier standing in a field of poppies.
Sharon Goodchild, who has called Chilton home for 26 years, challenged the redesign's patriotic theme.
She claimed the national symbolism appeals "only for a selected few" - given that Chilton has evolved into a "multicultural" community.
According to 2021 census data, the town is around 98 per cent white British.
Ms Goodchild said: "If other funding becomes available it should focus on Chilton's true heritage as a mining town, a massive stone carving saying 'Welcome to Chilton' or a miner's carriage would be great."
She said £12,000 was excessive for a roundabout and had proposed wildflowers as an alternative.
'It was a plain grassed roundabout (pictured) - and it's now got a lovely St George’s cross made out of poppies,' Joe Quinn said
|The project draws on £9,540 from Section 106 funds, designated for community benefit from nearby housing developments, alongside £2,460 in council labour costs.
Mr Bowron justified the expenditure by noting the Section 106 allocation faced a May deadline, after which it would have been returned to developers.
When consulted in November 2025, Chilton Town Council opposed the proposal.
A spokesman said it would have preferred funding directed toward "community projects" addressing essential infrastructure and local challenges.
Planning manager Stephen Reed explained that no alternative submissions had been received at the time, meaning the scheme was allocated the funds to prevent their return.
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