Council has 'no issue' with England and Union flags

England and Great Britain flags have been appearing on lamppost around the country

A council has said it has "no issue" with England and Union flags being flown but only on people's own property and with the relevant planning permission.

The flags have been put up in Bracknell Forest as part of Operation Raise the Colours activism but some have now been taken down.

The Highways Act 1980 states that the authority, in this case the council, can remove any items that have been put up without its consent.

Independent Sandhurst Town Councillor John Edwards said people who want the flags to be taken down, are "mistaking patriotism with far-right activism".

Neighbours have discussed Operation Raise the Colours and the removal of the flags on the We Love Crowthorne Village Facebook page.

Kari Markham said: "I love seeing the flags on the lamp posts. Thank you to the people who organised it. It makes me smile. We need more."

Andrea Joyce said: "My husband went to work early (5ish) and there was a large cherry picker with people removing the ones by the petrol station.

"It looked like a council vehicle but I'm not sure."

Andrew Hunter who is Executive Director of Place at Bracknell Forest Council and is in charge of highways, transport and rights of way networks said they had "no issue" with the flags.

But he said: "We would ask people to kindly place them on their own property and in line with relevant planning permission."

He added: "While removing flags attached to lampposts or other street furniture may seem trivial, as a public authority we have to apply highways and planning rules consistently and fairly."

Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary for Stand up to Racism, has questioned the motivation behind the movement.

"It's being encouraged by far-right groups and it's designed to make refugees, immigrants and people who were born here but have family from a different country, feel unwelcome," she said.

But Councillor Edwards said: "Trying to claim that people putting up their own national flags is in some way far right is just so unfair".

"The great thing about this flag is it represents all of us and we need to be prouder of our national flag."

He said: "It represents equality, freedom, sacrifice and our national identity.

"It doesn't divide us into competing identity groups. This really does represent all of us and it's not far-right at all, it is our national flag."