The Ukranian flag – displayed on the flagpole at Hedon Town Hall on the 20th of March 2022. An act of solidarity with that country during its conflict with Russia.
Hedon Town Council minutes of the Property Committee (10th March 2022) state: “Members agreed that the Council should purchase and fly the Ukrainian Flag in support of the Ukraine during the current conflict; this item would be on the F&GP agenda for a formal decision.”
Minutes of the F&GP (Finance & General Purposes Committee, 24th March 2022) note that “Members had discussed this previously and approved the purchase of a Ukraine Flag to be flown from the Town Hall. Resolved: that a Ukraine Flag would be purchased and flown from the Town Hall.”
Did this set a precedent for the council to display other flags and show political solidarity with other causes? It shows that the council was willing to show political solidarity with a cause, but the council did not formally decide something that would be used as an example or a rule to be followed in the future.
At its F&GP meeting of 22 June 2023, the council discussed “To consider flying a flag to support Pride Month in future years.” Whilst the draft minutes are not yet published from that meeting, then social media reports suggest that the council has now decided that showing solidarity for a cause through the flying of flags from the Town Hall will now not be supported.
(Ongoing)
Did flying the Ukrainian flag set a precedent for Hedon Town Council?
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Don’t know about anyone else, but I find the text on the bright multi-colours, quite difficult to read.
John
The proposal to fly the Pride Flag was voted down by 5 votes to 4 (only 9 Councilors were present). But the precedent that other flags can be flown has been set. Voting down one proposal does not prevent future discussions of flying other flags in the future.
Thanks for the clarification, Steve. The Hedon Blog will fly its own Pride colours for the month of July.
Thanks Ray. I’m delighted how many businesses in Hedon have displayed the Hedon Supports Pride poster to show we are an inclusive community.