New County hall flag policy approved

Seven different flags will be permitted to be flown above Lancashire County Council’s headquarters after the authority’s cabinet agreed a new policy that members said was designed to encourage a collective pride in country and county.

The Union Flag, the Flag of England (the St. George’s cross), the Lancashire Flag, the Lancashire County Council Flag, the Armed Forces Flag, the Commonwealth Flag and the Merchant Navy Flag all made the cut of those that can now be raised over County Hall in Preston.

It follows a review by the county council’s Reform UK administration, which has seen the number of flags eligible to adorn the building reduced.

Those on the newly streamlined list are the only flags that will be routinely held by the authority from now on – although others could be ordered to be flown if jointly agreed by the leader and chief executive.

Under the previous flag-flying policy, the Pride Flag was flown on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on 17th May.

The White Ribbon Flag – promoting domestic violence awareness – and the flags of the NHS and emergency services had also been hoisted on relevant days in recent years, as had the Ukrainian Flag.  Although none of them was currently in rotation following changes made in 2024 during the previous Conservative’s administration’s term of office, they were – until now – still retained for possible future use.

The politically controversial review came about after Reform councillors backed a motion – brought forward by cabinet member for rural affairs, environment and communities Joshua Roberts at a full council meeting in July – that stated the authority “should be proud to fly the flags of our nation and of Lancashire and [that] individual political causes should not take precedence over our shared identity”.

At the cabinet meeting at which the new policy was approved, deputy leader of the Progressive Lancashire opposition alliance – and Green Party group leader – Gina Dowding said she had been surprised by “how much attention, effort and energy this new administration has given to flags when none of us were really aware from door knocking that this was a priority for the people of Lancashire”.

Speaking about the broader public debate about flags in recent months, she added:  “It seems absolutely clear that some people are weaponising the use of, certainly the English flag.”

However, her critique was derided by cabinet members. County council leader Stephen Atkinson commented:  “That flag you say is being weaponised has been this country’s flag since the 12th century.

“Pride in your country is so important as we try to come together as a community,” he said.

Deputy leader Simon Evans said that County Cllr Dowding’s surprise explained “why we have won this council and why [we will go on to win] the general election”.

“I have never seen a flag weaponised in my life – I don’t even understand how that works.  All I know and…my colleagues know is we feel immense pride in our flag and the flying of it is symbolic of that – and I cannot understand why anyone has any other point of view.”.

Cabinet member for education and skills Matthew Salter also took issue with claims of misappropriation of flags.

“When I see the Union Flag and the St. George’s Flag flying…I see people being proud of their country.

“We are all Lancastrians, we can all take pride in that whoever we are – and it is the same with the St. George’s Flag.

“This is something that can really bring people together and I totally reject any notion that  there is anything negative [about it or] that we should shy away from it [or] be ashamed of it,” County Cllr Salter said.

Progressive Lancashire opposition leader Azhar Ali said the problem was not one of the authority weaponising flags, but “a small minority of people” whom he believed were “trying to hijack [the St. George’s cross] for other means, which cause division and hatred”.

He added:  “That is something we should all be against.  As a diverse community, we are one community – we are all English, British and Lancastrian.”

FLAG FEARS

A report introducing the new flags policy revealed that it had been shared with “staff networks” within the county council for their feedback – and their responses had questioned “to what extent the removal of campaign flags signifies the county council’s removal of support for specific groups/causes”.

The document stated:  “Whilst this perception is acknowledged, the purpose of the proposed changes is to simplify the council’s policy and encourage a shared identity – and should not be taken as indicating the council’s position in relation to individual causes or campaigns.”

However, the potential effect on certain groups of some flags being removed from the county council’s approved list was also raised in an equality impact assessment undertaken as part of the drafting of the new policy.

That concluded that the changes were “designed to support a more inclusive and cohesive approach”, but acknowledged that “people from groups represented by the flags in the previous policy may now feel excluded”.

“There is no change to how the county council treats these groups or individuals or the desire to remain an inclusive and respectful employer,” the assessment stressed.

FLAG FACTS

There are five flagpoles at County Hall – two on the roof on the Pitt Street side of the building, two at ground level close to the Bow Lane entrance and another near the authority’s war memorial.

Under the new policy, the default position remains that the Union Jack flies at both dual-polled sites, accompanied by the Lancashire Flag at Pitt Street and Lancashire County Council Flag at Bow Lane.

It is the county and county council flags which are removed to accommodate the raising of other symbols on individual days.

The revised arrangements mean the second flag pole will now be occupied by:

***the Commonwealth Flag on Commonwealth Day (the second Monday in March);

***the Flag of England on St. George’s Day;

*** the Armed Forces Flag in the run to and on Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in June);

***the Merchant Navy Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day (3rd September);

***the Lancashire Flag (on the second pole at Bow Lane as well as its default place at Pitt Street) on Lancashire Day (27th November).

The war memorial site is used to enable dignitaries to raise a flag safely as part of a larger gathering.