Response to Unauthorised Flags on Street Furniture
3 September 2025
Diss Town Council has received a number of enquiries regarding the flags that have recently adorned street furniture in Diss and has been asked to take action to remove them.
Most of the flags have been installed on lampposts or other items of street furniture that belong to Norfolk County Council. They have not authorised the installation of unlicensed flags and will remove any that compromise the safety of visibility issues to the travelling public. They also state that in the ordinary course of operations, unlicensed attachments to streetlights will be removed as part of routine maintenance activities. Their resources are fully committed to essential maintenance activities, and no separate visits will be scheduled solely for the removal of unauthorised attachments.
Like Norfolk County Council, Diss Town Council has not authorised the installation of these flags, and, albeit on a much smaller scale, our resources are also committed to essential maintenance activities. The cost of removing the flags would stretch to thousands of pounds, involving contractors trained to do so, likely road closures, and cherry picker equipment to ensure they were removed according to safety legislation.
Diss Town Council appreciates the concerns of some residents that this is likely to make other members of our community feel intimidated and unwelcome. However, Diss has proven time and time again to mostly be a welcoming town. We have many people living here from different cultures and backgrounds which helps make Diss the place it is. We encourage the continued support of our whole community.
