A Reform-led council has narrowly backed plans to allow the Union flag to fly all year round above public buildings, including the town hall.
Calderdale Council’s governance and business committee approved the proposal by four votes to three on Monday evening. The decision will now go before the full council for final approval.
Under the plans, the Union flag would fly from Halifax Town Hall throughout the year as a “mark of respect to all the peoples of our great nation”.
Reform UK Mayor of Calderdale, Councillor Andrew Tagg, backed the move after winning a seat in May’s local elections, which saw Reform take overall control of the council.
The policy would allow the Union flag, the Cross of St George, the council flag, the Yorkshire flag and the Armed Forces flag to be flown on civic buildings. Requests to fly other flags would be handled on a case-by-case basis by the council leader.
The Union flag is already flown on government buildings on 16 designated days each year by order of the King, while the Department for Culture, Media and Sport also encourages it to be flown year-round by councils and local organisations.
Those designated days include birthdays of current and former royals, as well as events such as Commonwealth Day, Coronation Day and the Poppy Appeal.
The approved protocol states that requests to fly additional flags must first be reviewed by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, who would consult relevant officials before referring the matter to the Mayor for a decision.
Where appropriate, consultation would also involve group leaders, the chief executive and senior officers, alongside an Equality Impact Assessment to consider how displaying a flag could affect people with legally protected characteristics, including age, disability, race and sexual orientation.
Reform UK Calderdale said on Facebook it was “proud” to see the Union flag given greater prominence.
The group said it would end the previous administration’s practice of flying what it called foreign flags and “symbols of division”, adding that it was proud of Britain’s history.
Labour councillor Scott Patient, who represents the Luddendenfoot ward, voted against the proposal, arguing that flying only the Union flag does not make Calderdale more inclusive.
He said Reform councils elsewhere had shown a tendency to prioritise the Union or England flag while being reluctant to consider requests for other flags.
Green councillor Dan Wood, representing Northowram and Shelf, also opposed the move, saying he saw little value in spending council time on a policy he described as less inclusive and more regressive.
He also raised concerns that residents may seek approval for additional flags beyond those listed in the policy.
Reform councillor Stephen Padgett OBE dismissed concerns, pointing to his 37-year military career and saying he wore the Union flag daily as part of his uniform.
He said he did not believe flying the flag continuously would reduce its significance.
Meanwhile, Kate Dearden previously criticised the council for not flying the LGBTQ+ flag, saying the decision was a mistake given Halifax’s historical association with Britain’s “first modern lesbian.”
