Dudley Council has revealed it will not sought legal action to mass remove union and national flags from its streets.
The council confirmed they have only taken action to remove flags that pose a highway safety risk.
Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said:
"Dudley Council has only taken action to remove flags attached to lampposts where they pose a highway safety risk and this remains our stance."
"We will not be taking any legal action like Birmingham has" added the cabinet member.
The mass display of flags began in the West Midlands during summer 2025 and spread to other parts of England over the following weeks.
Groups like the Operation Raise the Colours campaign started putting flags on lampposts, bridges and other street furniture.
Organisers said the aim was to show pride in England, Britain, local communities and national identity.
Discussion around the display of flags on our streets has reignited in recent days after it was revealed that Dudley's neighbour, Birmingham City council had sought legal action to ban ‘unauthorised flags and banners’ from being fixed near roads.
Birmingham City Council forced to issue clarification, explaining that it had sought a High Court injunction to ‘prohibit unauthorised attachments on the highway’.
Around 20,000 flags were installed on lampposts throughout the city as part of Operation Raise the Colours, a grassroots UK campaign.
The spending documents submitted to the high court revealed it would cost £2.6 million to remove England and National flags from the cities streets.
This would reportedly cost £132 per flag removal.
Today (September 8) Birmingham's civil courts was the scene of a high profile injunction application by the council today to try to halt the unauthorised flagging of the city.
The judge set a new court date for September 30 after she was 'troubled' by the council's case due to apparent its lack of evidence
She ordered the council to produce clarity of the case against each named defendant, the date of any incidents and a cross reference to the related witness statement or other evidence within 10 days.
Dudley Council will not follow Birmingham's approach, with their stance focused on only the removal of flags on lampposts that pose a "highway risk".
Dudley council will not take any legal action.
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