Opposition councillors to challenge new flag policy

Councillors have requested a "call-in" over the authority's new flag policy

Opposition councillors are set to challenge Warwickshire County Council's new flag policy after it was passed despite representation from the authority's LGBTQ+ group.

The authority's cabinet has approved a policy that states the Union flag, the St George's Cross and county flags will be flown from three flagpoles outside the Shire Hall, in Warwick.

Royal flags and one representing the armed forces can also be flown, but any other flags must be given approval by council chairman, Reform councillor Edward Harris.

It comes following a row over the decision to fly a Progress Pride Flag outside of the building during Pride Month in June.

The policy states the England, UK and county flags will be flown outside the building

Council leader, George Finch had asked for the flag, a redesigned rainbow flag, to be removed when he was elected as leader, but the authority's chief executive Monica Fogarty refused.

Fogarty had previously held responsibility for deciding which flags could be flown, but the cabinet recently voted to transfer decision-making powers to Harris.

The flag policy was introduced by Reform councillor Mike Bannister, who advocated having a "clear, consistent and lawful" position that reflected the parties' "values of fairness, patriotism and common sense".

However, the Liberal Democrats have launched a call-in, which places the decision on hold until a scrutiny panel looks into it and decides whether to ask the cabinet to reconsider its decision.

Councillor John Holland, deputy leader of the Labour group, argued decisions on any new policies should be taken by the whole council, not just the political group in charge.

He said he would not accept the policy as written because of what he described as "absolutely disgraceful events" which happened following Fogarty's decision in June.

"We will sign a call-in for this because policy is decided by council, and policy is implemented by cabinet," he added.

"The right place to take this is to the next full council meeting, which I believe to be the correct procedure, depending on the right number of people signing the call-in notice."

Reform councillor Finch, who said he would not influence decisions on flag-flying applications, argued it was right that they should be handled by the "non-political element of the council".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.