West Northamptonshire Council

Heritage · drafted 2026-07-02 · accepted · 2 finding(s)

← council-level findings on this theme

26 Jun 2025On 26 June 2025 West Northamptonshire Full Council adopted an updated Flag Protocol restricting flag-flying on Council buildings (agenda item 307, moved by Councillor Arnull and seconded by Councillor Hastie); the protocol as discussed provides that flags should not be raised for groups with no connection to the UK, and Council resolved to note and endorse it. [1][2][3]

26 Jun 2025A member of the public (Martin Cole, addressing Council on behalf of the Windrush Organisation) objected to the proposed Flag Protocol at the same 26 June 2025 meeting, characterising it as banning flags on public buildings and warning it would send a message of exclusion to community groups. [4]

References (4)
  1. Minutes, 26 June 2025 “Flags should not be raised for groups with no connection to the UK.”
  2. Minutes, 26 June 2025 “RESOLVED: Council: a) Noted and endorsed the Flag Protocol.”
  3. Minutes, 26 June 2025 “Councillor Arnull proposed and Councillor Hastie seconded the report which sought Members’ consideration and endorsement of the Council’s updated Flag Protocol, to ensure that there was a clear and consistent approach to the flying of flags on Council buildings.”
  4. Minutes, 26 June 2025 “the Windrush Organisation were saddened by the Council’s proposed Flag Policy; various flags were statements of solidarity and respect for communities that added to the vibrancy and progress of the nation, and banning flags on public buildings undermined efforts to build bridges across cultures and would send a troubling message of exclusion.”