Town council's revised flag policy for Biggleswade snubs Progress Pride flag despite pleas for it to be flown
Calls for the Progress Pride flag to be flown by the town council in Biggleswade have been shunned by the local authority.
An updated BTC flag policy has been agreed removing references to category ‘c’ flags, including the Pride flag, which require planning permission.
The revised version includes current central government prescribed practice, according to a report to a town council meeting.
BTC’s head of governance and strategic partnership Karim Hosseini explained: “There hasn’t been too much change from the current policy.
“National guidance for flying flags contains three categories, ‘a’, ‘b’ and ‘c’. Any external inquiry comes into the town council to be referred to the town clerk, mayor and deputy mayor for discussion and decision around approving a flag to be flown.
“There’s more detail at what’s required for a category ‘c’ flag. It would be £60 for time spent by CBC’s planning expert offering advice, about £100 to submit the application and the cost of the flag, which on average is £60 to £80.”
Town clerk Peter Tarrant added: “The issue for any flag not in category ‘c’ is entirely consistent with previous policy.
“For category ‘c’ flags to be in keeping with national guidelines, these would have to be referred to CBC for planning permission.”
Town councillor Jonathan Woodhead suggested a backstop for approving the different flags, saying: “My concern is this puts pressure on three people and introducing potential conflicts with other councillors or external groups.
“If the three disagree, where does it go? Is it a simple majority?”
Town councillor Mark Knight said: “I’m completely comfortable with the council flying celebratory or commemorative flags.
“The challenge is some flags are more contentious and could be considered campaign or political flags. I don’t think the town council should get involved in campaigns. It shouldn’t pick sides.
“We need to be a council for everyone in this town. It’s a matter of council policy what flags we fly and those should be through public talks, not closed room debate.”
Town councillor Michael North advised against changing the flag flying policy, noting: “We went through it a couple of years ago.
“If we go ahead with this wording, it should be a resolution that the whole council is involved. All sorts of different lobbyists, campaigners and pressure groups might be wanting their flag to be flown.
“I would expect no officer time to be spent on this. If anyone wants to apply for planning permission they should do it themselves.”
Town councillor Madeline Russell asked why the local authority is considering category ‘c’ flags at all, adding: “There’s the amount of time to consider if we were to keep changing flags.
“There are many silly complications. I don’t want to see us doing anything that creates division in the community. We need integration of everyone.
“We should only be flying flags which celebrate what Biggleswade is and what the town stands for. This policy is for our flag poles, the one on the building and the two on the Market Square.”
The council unanimously agreed the new flag policy, removing two paragraphs with detailed information around category ‘c’ flags.