The Reform UK-led Nottinghamshire County Council is splurging £75,000 on new flag installations, prompting criticism the money could be better spent on services for local people.
The 164 flags are set to be displayed across 82 locations, costing the council £475 each, which will include brackets, traffic management and utilising cherry pickers.
Council leader Mick Barton said: “We just feel it’s the right thing to do, and it gives that feel-good factor, that’s what we’re doing it for.
“When people are putting all these St George and Union flags up, they’re not going to last forever… so we thought we would support the public in what they want, but long term we can use it for all sorts of events that’s going across the county.”
Mr Barton said that flags will also be displayed for Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, Nottinghamshire Day, Christmas, and Easter, among other celebrations.
The decision has been criticised by others in the council, who feel it contradicts Reform UK’s promise that it would slash wasteful spending if elected.
Labour councillor Helen Faccio, who represents Toton, Chilwell and Attenborough, told the BBC she was “shocked but not surprised” by the announcement.
She said: “We heard when Reform came to power, that they would make council services more efficient and cut wasteful spending.
“Then we hear about huge spending on flags. My residents would say we should spend money filling potholes or investing in youth clubs.”
Conservative councillor Sam Smith told the BBC: “To spend £75,000 of taxpayers’ money on putting flags up seems a bit ridiculous to me. That should be spent on services.”
But Mr Barton believes the flags are not an example of wasteful spending and says that an upcoming efficiency review will save the council millions of pounds.
“The money has come from efficiencies that we have already made,” he said, adding that “there has been no cuts of services” to fund the £75,000.
Earlier this year, Reform UK announced it would send its first unit to cut “wasteful spending” in councils, similar to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The party’s leader, Nigel Farage, said: “As promised, we have created a UK Doge to identify and cut wasteful spending of taxpayer money. Our team will use cutting-edge technology and deliver real value for voters.”
The flags are set to be displayed in all districts across Nottinghamshire, including Rushcliffe, Broxtowe, Bassetlaw, Newark, Mansfield, Ashfield and Gedling. The decision does not have to be voted on, but councillors are able to object to it within the next five days.
