Flags on public property such as lamp posts and roundabouts on public highways

1. Can someone please advise me on the Councils Policy in Boston regarding the locating of flags on public property such as lamp posts and roundabouts on public highways . These flags are part of a right wing campaign to facilitate division within our society. The whole purpose is to promote a right wing view that people who are not English are not welcome. This is a view populated by the far right and in particular Reform and is being instigated by a small minority of individuals. 

 

I, and many others find this campaign offensive and, I am sure is potentially illegal. It cannot be acceptable to deface lamp posts etc. with politically generated memorabilia. To turn a blind eye, is not acceptable. 

 

2. Who is making these decisions to ignore and why?

 

3. What will be the councils policy if there is a counter protest to deface / replace such flags with an alternative message?

1. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) recognise that communities often wish to express national pride, celebration, or remembrance through the display of flags and decorations. We appreciate the sentiment behind these gestures and our standard practice is not to proactively remove such items from highway assets, including street lighting columns, unless they pose a safety concern.

This approach reflects the need to balance community expression with the practical limitations of our resources and the importance of proportionality in our operations.

LCC do not actively encourage the attachment of items to our infrastructure, but where they do not present a risk, we take a pragmatic and proportionate stance. LCC’s priority remains ensuring the safety and integrity of the highway network, while being mindful of the communities we serve.

Therefore, LCC will only actively seek to remove a flag where there is a safety concern, e.g. where the flag may obstruct a sign, camera or similar attachment already fixed to the column, or a flag becomes damaged.

2. The Leader of the Council and Executive Councillor for Highways, in correspondence with the Executive Director for Place and the Assistant Director for Highways.

3. This is not recorded information and as such cannot be answered as part of this FOI request