Stirling councillors withdraw 'fly Union flag' motion
Two Stirling councillors have withdrawn a motion calling for the Union flag to be flown outside Stirling Council's headquarters.
Tory member Callum Campbell suggested the debate which was seconded by Labour member Danny Gibson.
The proposal had been condemned by some nationalists.
On Thursday the councillors withdrew the motion, saying they did not want it to be a "distraction" from the "real issues of uncertainty".
At present the council flies two flags at its headquarters - a conventional St Andrew's Cross and a specially-modified Saltire, which also includes the lion rampant and emblems from the city's coat of arms.
The suggested motion would have seen both the Union flag and the modified Saltire flown.
The Union flag would have been flown outside the council building while the Saltire would have been on the flagpole in the grounds between the building and the main road.
Stirling is run by a coalition of Labour and Conservative councillors, although the SNP is the largest single party.
After withdrawing the motion due to be debated on Thursday evening, Councillor Campbell said: "I don't want this motion to become a distraction from the real issues of uncertainty that the SNP are asking us to decide upon next year, so I have written to the provost withdrawing my motion."
On Thursday, 18 September next year, the electorate in Scotland will be asked the straight "yes/no" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
Policies on which flags are flown vary from council to council.
Some fly the St Andrew's Cross, the union flag and the EU flag or a corporate logo. Others fly just one flag and change it depending on the occasion.
Glasgow City Council normally flies the St Andrew's Cross above the city chambers but replaces it with a Union flag on royal birthdays and some other special occasions.