Warwickshire County Council

Heritage · drafted 2026-07-02 · accepted · 4 finding(s)

← council-level findings on this theme

4 Sep 2025At the Cabinet meeting, councillors noted the Pride flag had previously been flown outside the County Council building; under the new three-flag policy Warwickshire Pride (who had written to object) was told they would have the same right as any other organisation to apply, with no automatic precedent to fly their flag. [1][2]

4 Sep 2025Warwickshire County Council's Cabinet resolved on 4 September 2025 to approve a new Flag Policy formalising which flags fly from the flagpoles at Shire Hall, restricting them to three as a matter of course — the Union Flag, the Cross of St George and the County flag (swapped for the Armed Forces Covenant flag during Armed Forces Week) — with other organisations required to apply to the Chairman for any other flag to be flown; the report was presented by Portfolio Holder Councillor Michael Bannister. [3][4]

22 Sep 2025Two call-ins against the Flag Policy (one from Liberal Democrat councillors, one cross-party) were heard by the Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 22 September 2025; amendment motions moved by Councillor Keith Kondakor (seconded by Councillor Richard Dickson) to hand flag decisions to a cross-party group, and by Councillor Richard Dickson (seconded by Councillor Keith Kondakor) to require published reasons, were both defeated 4–6, and the committee resolved to take no action — leaving the restrictive Flag Policy in force. [5][6]

22 Sep 2025Opposition councillors at the call-in hearing argued the new Flag Policy risked breaching the Council's Equalities Act duties and was aimed at excluding LGBTQ+ recognition; Councillor Sam Jones said the policy was aimed at eliminating support for the LGBTQ+ community, and Councillor Richard Dickson said the policy's own equality impact assessment had flagged it was likely to draw complaints. [7][8]

References (8)
  1. Minutes, 4 September 2025 “He felt that the flying of the Pride flag outside the County Council building had sent a message that the Council would not judge people on their sexuality but on their character.”
  2. Minutes, 4 September 2025 “In response to a letter received from Warwickshire Pride, Councillor Bannister advised that their organisation would have the same rights as any other and did not get any automatic precedent.”
  3. Minutes, 4 September 2025 “Resolved That Cabinet approves the Warwickshire County Council Flag Policy appended to this report.”
  4. Minutes, 4 September 2025 “Councillor Bannister explained that three flags would be flown as a matter of course: the Union flag, the Cross of St George and the County flag.”
  5. Minutes, 22 September 2025 “Councillor Keith Kondakor proposed a motion that decisions on which flags could be flown should be made by a group containing the Chair of the Council and two members of the next two largest parties that made up the Council. The motion was seconded by Councillor Richard Dickson.”
  6. Minutes, 22 September 2025 “Resolved That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee takes no action on the Flag Policy.”
  7. Minutes, 22 September 2025 “Councillor Dickson noted the policy’s equality impact assessment had stated before its enaction had been agreed by Cabinet that it was likely to draw complaints.”
  8. Minutes, 22 September 2025 “Councillor Sam Jones stated his belief the flag policy was aimed more at eliminating support for the LGBTQ+ community, and noted concerns that had been raised by the relevant staff networks.”