Kent Council Requires Harrietsham Village Flags Removal to Install Christmas Lights

Kent County Council (KCC) has mandated that flags, including St George's and Union flags, must be removed from lampposts in Harrietsham village before Christmas lights can be installed, citing safety concerns during installation. Harrietsham Parish Council (HPC) has indicated that this condition could prevent the installation of the much-anticipated festive lights in 2025, despite having already incurred costs for the decorations. HPC emphasized that removing the flags is not the contractor's responsibility and that it cannot use public funds for their removal since the flags and lampposts are not council property. KCC's cabinet member for highways and transport, Peter Osborne, stated that safety must come first and disputed claims of significant extra costs for removal, noting the same contractor could handle flag removal alongside the light installation. The parish council has appealed to those who put up the flags to remove them to enable the lights to go up as planned and avoid cancellation. This situation has drawn criticism from local residents who find it ironic that festive traditions might be disrupted by flags that represent local and national identity.