THURROCK Council is attempting to plug a legal gap by applying for permission to fly a new derivative 'Progress Pride' flag and another marking Remembering Srebrenica.

Both flags have previously flown outside the council's town hall from one of three long-installed flag poles, but the council appears to have belatedly realised by flying them it has been in breach of a government directive which upgraded regulations about flag flying in 2021. At the time it issued a 'plain English' guide about what was legal and what is not.

Last Friday the council once again flew the Remembering Srebrenica flag, after a well-attended ceremony, repeating what has become a borough tradition over several years.

The well-attended Remembering Srebrenica service last week.

And earlier this year it also raised the Progress Pride flag, again something that has become a regular occurrence. Both appear to have been infractions of the government guidance.

In June deputy Mayor Cllr Steve Liddiard raised the Progress Poide flag.

However, in an application to itself submitted on Tuesday, 1 July, the council sought to retrospectively gain authority to fly them. The application, submitted by head of community development, Natalie Smith, is yet to be approved.

Ms Smith, who was awarded an MBE in 2019 for services to the community in Thurrock, asked for permission for the two specific flags to be raised at different times from 11 July (the day of the most recent Remembering Srebrenica flag flying) and 10 July 2030.

The Remembering Srebrenica flag has been raised for a number of years, including here by

In its advice the government gives permission for national flags and other specified flags to be flown without permission. One of those granted approval is the Pride 'Rainbow' flag which was simply six horizontal equal stripes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet). That flag has now been superseded by a more complex 'Progress Pride' version that incorporates the LGBTQ+ flag along with the trans and people of colour community.

One other specified approved flag, which was recently flown at the town hall, is the Armed Forces ensign.

Independent councillor Fraser Massey, who chairs the council's audit scrutiny committee, was quizzed by the Local Democracy Reporting Service and was asked 'if council had got its priorities right'.

Cllr Massey said: "As with any planning application, councillors have the powers to call in the decision and then be discussed by planning committee.

"Personally, I don't have any issue with this application, but I do think the council has more pressing issues at the moment rather than which flags are flown outside the civic offices.

"At a time when the council is under scrutiny on its path to financial recovery and when planning issues relating to greenbelt development and Section 106 monies are still outstanding, we should be focused on rectifying those issues which really impact residents."

A spokesman for Thurrock Council said: "Along with many local authorities Thurrock Council shows its support for the rights of the borough's LGBTQ+ communities by flying the Progress Flag during Pride Month, which takes place in June each year.

The council's three flagpoles. The Union Jack and Cross of St George flags are permanent fixtures, with the 'guest' pole flying the Ukrainian flag - which is permitted under government guidelines - in this picture.

"Thurrock Council flies the Cross of St George Flag every day of the year. Other flags are flown throughout the year to mark key events that are relevant to our residents.

"This includes Remembering Srebrenica Week, which takes place around July 11 every year. Last week we commemorated the 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys who were murdered in the Srebrenica Genocide in July 1995. In 2018 Thurrock Council committed to recognise Srebrenica memorial events in July each year, including raising a flag at the council's Town Hall."

The spokesman added: "The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 flags identifies which flags are able to be flown without consent being required from a local planning Authority, which means that other flags, such as the Remembering Srebrenica and Progress flags, require additional planning consent."

The officer did not explain why, according to council planning records, this year is the first time it has sought planning permission for non-government authorised flags.