Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s response to flags appearing in public spaces. Any injustice is not significant enough to warrant us investigating and we could not achieve what Ms X wants.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the Council’s position statement regarding flags erected on street lighting columns in her area. She says the Council’s position and its refusal to remove the flags is unlawful and irresponsible. She wants the Council to change its position, apologise for issuing an unlawful statement and discourage the hanging of flags.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In 2025, people in Ms X’s area started to attach flags to lighting columns. The Council issued a statement saying it supported the patriotic hanging of flags if it was done in a safe way. It said it would only take action to remove flags if they posed a danger to road users.
6. We will not investigate this complaint. Although I accept Ms X disagrees with the Council’s position and feels the flags have a particular political significance, it is not for the Ombudsman to reach a judgement about the significance of a particular flag. Any distress caused is not a significant enough injustice to warrant the Ombudsman using time and public money to investigate.
7. Regardless of whether those erecting flags sought the Council’s permission, there is no duty in law for the Council to remove items attached to lighting columns or other street furniture. We could not therefore require the Council to remove the flags.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to warrant out involvement and we could not achieve what Ms X wants.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman