Derbyshire County Council

Heritage · drafted 2026-07-02 · accepted · 5 finding(s)

← council-level findings on this theme

21 May 2025At the 21 May 2025 Council meeting, asked by Cllr W Major to explain the Council's new flag policy, Council Leader Cllr A Graves stated the Council did not have a new flag policy -- a position superseded weeks later when the cabinet confirmed (9 Jul 2025) that flags flown from County Council buildings had already been reduced to national, civic and ceremonial flags only. [1][2]

9 Jul 2025DCC did not fly the Pride flag to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) in May 2025 -- a practice it had followed every year since 2014 -- and the cabinet's written response (Cllr A Graves, 9 Jul 2025 Council) attributed this to the new administration's reduction of flags flown from County Council buildings to national, civic and ceremonial flags only. [3][4]

9 Jul 2025Derbyshire County Council's Reform UK cabinet confirmed (written answer to Cllr G Kinsella, 9 Jul 2025 Council) it had already reduced the flags flown from County Council buildings to national, civic and ceremonial flags only, excluding the Pride flag; by the 10 Dec 2025 Council meeting the cabinet member for highways, Cllr C Hill, confirmed the Council was formally reviewing its 'Flag Flying Protocol' to prioritise national, civic or council symbols only, with exceptions considered only against agreed community-benefit criteria. [5][6]

10 Dec 2025At the 10 Dec 2025 Council meeting, Ms J Brown's question to the cabinet stated that the flying of Pride and Ukrainian flags 'has been banned by DCC'; the cabinet member for highways' written reply (Cllr C Hill) did not dispute this characterisation and instead restated that the administration had reduced flags flown from County Council buildings to national, civic and ceremonial flags only. [7]

10 Dec 2025Separately from the County Hall flag-flying protocol, DCC's highways policy for flags attached by residents to lampposts and roundabouts (e.g. Union Jack and St George's Cross flags put up during the 'Raise the Colours' movement in August 2025) is permissive and risk-based: the cabinet member for highways confirmed the Council does not intend to remove such flags unless they pose a safety hazard. [8]

References (8)
  1. Minutes, 21 May 2025 “Could you explain the Council’s new flag policy?”
  2. Minutes, 21 May 2025 “The Council does not have a new flag policy.”
  3. Minutes, 9 July 2025 “This day has been marked by DCC by flying the pride flag since 2014.”
  4. Minutes, 9 July 2025 “The new administration has reduced the number of flags it will fly from County Council buildings to those focused on national, civic and ceremonial flags only.”
  5. Minutes, 9 July 2025 “The new administration has reduced the number of flags it will fly from County Council buildings to those focused on national, civic and ceremonial flags only.”
  6. Minutes, 10 December 2025 “Work is currently being undertaken to review the Council’s Flag Flying Protocol to prioritise national, civic, or council symbols, with exceptions considered under agreed criteria aligned to community benefit.”
  7. Minutes, 10 December 2025 “This at a time when the flying of other flags, such as Pride and Ukrainian flags, has been banned by DCC.”
  8. Minutes, 10 December 2025 “The Council has stated it does not intend to remove Union Jack or St George’s Cross flags from lampposts or roundabouts unless they pose a safety hazard.”