Decision details

1.

Title of Item/Report

Council Motion - Flying the Union Flag

2.

Record of the Decision

Consideration was given to a report that requested Cabinet review the Council’s Flag Flying Policy following approval of the Council motion to fly the Union Flag on Council premises and consideration by Members’ Advisory Panel.

Members’ Advisory Panel acknowledged the significant costs that would be involved with installing external flagpoles in new locations, including the site surveys that would be required even before a final decision was made. The Panel also noted that in several of the potential new locations, flags were already being flown in the vicinity by local Town Councils.

The Panel felt that a better solution to implementing the Council motion would be to fly the Union Flag internally in reception areas at the list of public facing buildings referred to the in the appendix to the report, which included libraries and customer service centres across the Borough.

RESOLVED that the Council’s existing flag flying policy be endorsed with an addendum that the Union Flag be flown internally in reception areas at public facing buildings (including libraries and customer service centres) across the Borough.

3.

Reasons for the Decision

To ensure that the motion, agreed unanimously by Council, is implemented in a manner that is practical, affordable and legally robust, following cross-party engagement through the Members Advisory Panel.

4.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None

5.

Declared (Cabinet Member) Conflicts of Interest

None

6.

Details of any Dispensations

None

7.

Date and Time by which Call In must be executed

Midnight, 20 March 2026