Agenda item

*RESOLVED –

1.    That the Flag Flying Policy be approved and implemented with immediate effect.

2.    That the Flag Flying Policy be reviewed after a period of two years.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To ensure careful consideration is given to flag flying days and requests for the illumination of the Town Hall to encourage community cohesion and acknowledge the feelings of the borough’s residents as flags are a highly emotive symbol and can be open to interpretation.

The Senior Democratic and Scrutiny Officer submitted a report seeking approval for the proposed Flag Flying Policy.

Previously the Chesterfield Borough Council Civic Office produced a list of flag flying days based on guidance from the Government and the National Association of Civic Officers (NACO). Any requests that were received for additional flag flying days or illumination of the Town Hall were determined on a case-by-case basis, however, the number of requests had been increasing which created the need for a clear protocol to guide decisions and set out the Council’s procedures for the flying of flags and illumination of the Town Hall.

New guidance had been issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in March 2021 that called for all UK Government buildings to fly the Union Flag every day. The Government wrote to all councils in England to encourage them to follow this guidance and in accordance with this guidance, the Policy proposed that the Union Flag would be flown all year round at the Town Hall.

The proposed Flag Flying Policy was attached at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report.

*RESOLVED –

1.    That the Flag Flying Policy be approved and implemented with immediate effect.

2.    That the Flag Flying Policy be reviewed after a period of two years.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To ensure careful consideration is given to flag flying days and requests for the illumination of the Town Hall to encourage community cohesion and acknowledge the feelings of the borough’s residents as flags are a highly emotive symbol and can be open to interpretation.