Shropshire Council statement on national flags displayed across the county

Shropshire Council is aware of a number of national flags that continue to be put up across the county on street lighting columns and street furniture.  

We wanted to take this opportunity to be clear about our position and the actions we are taking individually and with our partners. 

Across our communities there are a range of views about the flags, our aim is to balance these views while keeping our residents and public spaces safe, respectful and compliant with policy. 

Our position 

• We do not prohibit or otherwise object to the expression of patriotism, including the display of national flags. The Union Flag is a recognised national emblem and, when displayed in an appropriate and dignified manner, is widely respected. It is acknowledged as representing the shared history, values, and constitutional identity of the United Kingdom. 

• However, we do not support the unauthorised attachment of flags or any other objects to street lighting columns, highway infrastructure or other public street furniture. This can cause damage, maintenance issues, create a nuisance, hazard or breach the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity and as such is not permitted. Political messaging is also not permitted. 

• Permission is required before attaching anything to council property, and we know many residents assume this is the case. We will continue to make this clear publicly. In particular, it should be noted that the unauthorised affixing of any signage or other similar item to the highway or highway structure can be deemed as a criminal offence.  

• The removal of any unauthorised fixing including flags can come at a significant cost to the council budget, for example after Storm Amy the cost of their removal was around £13,000. At a time of financial pressure this impacts on services to residents, and we will seek to recover the costs of the removal of unauthorised fixings or flags from those putting them up. 

Where we will remove flags

We will be removing all unauthorised flags from our street lighting columns and other highway assets. This will be in Shrewsbury initially with plans to remove all unauthorised flags across the county in time. 

This includes flags that are: 

• damaged or unsafe 

• creating a hazard 

• obstructing signs 

• posing risks following severe weather 

• installed without permission, regardless of condition 

Following the recent storms, many flags became torn, loose, or insecure. Our highways teams have removed these where necessary, and we will continue with a full removal programme for all unauthorised flags. 

Where appropriate and legally possible, we will seek to recover the cost of removal from the individuals responsible for installing the flags. 

Where responsibility lies

Not all flags reported to us are on Shropshire Council assets. Some are on: 

• Private property, where responsibility lies with the land or building owner. 

• National Highways infrastructure (including parts of the A5 and A49), where we have no authority to remove items.

Where flags appear on assets we do not own or manage, we cannot take direct action, but we are working with partners to look at their removal. 

Working with police and partners

We are also aware of increasing community tensions, including a rise in reports of abuse directed at our residents, staff, and local councillors. We are working closely with West Mercia Police and local partners to address situations where flags pose safety risks or contribute to harassment, intimidation or damage. 

• Freedom of expression is protected in law, action will only be taken where criminal offences are being committed. We strongly encourage reporting directly to the police where this is the case. 

• If criminal offences are being committed, we strongly encourage reporting directly to the police so they can be properly recorded and assessed: 

• Call 101 (non-emergency) or report online at www.westmercia.police.uk 

• Report via True Vision (for hate crime ) – www.report-it.org.uk 

• Call 999 in an emergency  if there is an immediate danger to life, or violence is being used or threatened. 

What we are doing next

Recognising the importance of flags to our county, we are also working with partners in the police, Shrewsbury Town Council, Shrewsbury BID and communities to develop a funding bid to support a positive alternative, including exploring a locally designed flag initiative created with young people, celebrating pride in Shropshire in a safe and inclusive way.