Derbyshire council will prioritise potholes over removing flags

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 06:14 · Archive

Derbyshire council will focus resources on filling potholes rather than removing deteriorating flags from lampposts.

Derbyshire County Council will direct resources towards filling potholes rather than removing flags from lampposts, according to its Reform UK leadership. Many flags installed mostly in summer 2025 are now deteriorating and no longer flying.

At a county council meeting on 7 October, Councillor Charlotte Hill, Reform's cabinet member for highways, outlined the authority's risk-based approach. She said: 'Where we are made aware of flags that have been attached to lamp posts, we will assess to see if they pose a danger to the public and only remove them if they do pose a danger.' The council has not been informed about any dangerous flags in Erewash, she added.

This policy differs from Derby City Council, which removed approximately 2,300 England and Union Jack flags as of July this year. Erewash's Labour Mayor, Councillor Greg Maskalick, raised the matter during the meeting, saying the flags had been installed illegally and questioned why there was a 'double standard' between the city and county councils. He suggested Derbyshire should follow Derby's legal precedent to prevent a 'free for all' of unregulated flags and advertisements.

How it is being reported

• Potholes take priority over removing tatty Union Jack flags, says Derbyshire Reform UK politicianUnion Jack flags were installed en masse on lampposts from summer 2025 but many are now looking worse for wearDerbyshire Live · 9 Oct, 06:00
• Derbyshire council will fill potholes instead of removing flags installed on lampposts, Reform UK leadership has saidDerbyshire council resources will be directed toward filling potholes rather than removing flags installed on lampposts, its Reform UK leadership has said.Derbyshire Times · 8 Oct, 15:21

In this story: Derbyshire council · Reform UK · Derbyshire County Council · Councillor Charlotte Hill · Councillor Greg Maskalick · Derby City Council · Erewash

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem