St Columb Major Town Council

Flag Flying Policy

Adopted by Full Council on the 12th May 2026

To be reviewed by Full Council; May 2027

Location

The Town Council has one flagpole in the churchyard of St Columb Major Church.

Any new flagstaff erected by the Council shall be subject to this policy.

Procedure

Flags are to be flown according to most recently published government guidelines (see reference below).  The default flag to be flown will be the Town Flag, if no other flag is being flown.

If flying, the Union Flag must always be in the superior position.

Other flags may be flown, in accordance with the hierarchy of flags and The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 as amended in 2012 and 2021.

Flags 

Flags which can be flown without consent of the local planning authority:

  • Any country’s national flag, civil ensign or civil air ensign
  • The flag of the Commonwealth, the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member
  • A flag of any island, county, district, borough, burgh, parish, city, town or village within the United Kingdom
  • The flag of the Black Country, East Anglia, Wessex, any Part of Lincolnshire, any Riding of Yorkshire or any historic county within the United Kingdom
  • The flag of Saint David
  • The flag of Saint Patrick
  • The flag of any administrative area within any country outside the United Kingdom
  • Any flag of His Majesty’s forces
  • Armed Forces Day

It is the policy of St Columb Major Town Council that only the Union Flag, the Town Flag and the Flag of St Piran may be flown without the permission of the Council.  The flying of any other flag or flags must be authorised by Full Council Resolution. 

Designated Days for Flying the Union Flag:

  • Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March)
  • His Majesty The King’s Wedding Anniversary
  • St George’s Day (in England)
  • Coronation Day
  • Official Birthday of His Majesty The King
  • Birthday of HRH The Prince of Wales
  • Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen
  • His Majesty The King’s Accession
  • Remembrance Day (second Sunday in November)
  • Birthday of His Majesty The King

The Flag of St Piran will be flown on St Piran’s Day, 5th of March, and at the discretion of the Town Clerk in consultation with the Council, or in Consultation with the Mayor.

Half-Mast

Half-mast means that the flag is flown two-thirds of the way up the flagpole, with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole. Flags cannot be flown at half-mast on poles that are more than 45° from the vertical.

When a flag is to be flown at half-mast, it should first be raised all the way to the top of the mast, allowed to remain there for a second and then be lowered to the half-mast position. When it is being lowered from half-mast, it should again be raised to the top of the mast for a second before being fully lowered.

Death of the Sovereign

Following the death of the Sovereign, all official flags, including the Union Flag, should be half-masted from as soon as possible until 08.00 the day following state funeral. Flags may be flown overnight during this period but should remain at half-mast.

Any non-official flags flying or due to be flown and replaced with a Union Flag at half-mast.

The only exception to half-masting during this period of mourning is on the day of the Accession Council, on which the late monarch’s successor is formally proclaimed. The Union Flag should be raised to full mast before 11:00 and remain at full mast until after proclamation, at which time the Union Flag should return to being flown at half-mast.

Death of the Mayor, a Former Mayor, or Serving Councillor

In the event of the death of the current Mayor, a former Mayor, or any current serving member of St Columb Major Town Council, the Town Flag should be flown at half-mast on the day of the funeral. The Union Flag takes precedence if this falls on a designated day for flying the Union Flag.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/designated-days-for-union-flag-flying