Protocol on the Flying of Flags from City Hall
City Hall
- That a consistent flag flying policy be achieved for City Hall by only flying the Union Flag and St George's flag. In normal circumstances all other flags should be flown only from the flag poles in Centenary Square.
- In exceptional circumstances where the Centenary Square flagpoles are unavailable the following flags will also be permitted to fly from City Hall, UK Saints day flags, The Yorkshire flag, The European Union flag, The British Legion flag, United Kingdom armed services flags.
- That flags should be lowered to half mast only on the death of a Freeman of the City, Lord Mayor or Lady Mayoress, serving member of the Council, ex Lord Mayor or ex Lady Mayoress of Bradford Council, local Member of Parliament or for a national day of mourning. With the exception of national mourning, where a period of more than five working days is likely to elapse before a funeral takes place, the flag should be raised to full mast following the second day and then lowered to half mast on the day of the funeral.
- Guidelines on national days of mourning are attached at Appendix A below.
Centenary Square
- A revised list of flag flying days be drawn up for the Centenary Square flag poles, various Commonwealth and other resident communities independence days, Yorkshire Day, Remembrance Day, United Nations Day and Rastafari community celebration days. A list is attached as Appendix B which may be amended.
- On days when the City Hall flags are being flown at half mast, other national flags on Centenary Square continue to be flown at full mast unless a United Kingdom flag is present in which case all other flags should be removed and the United Kingdom flag be flown at half mast.
- Where another nation is observing a day of mourning and the Council wishes to express its support the flag of that nation may be flown alone at half mast. If the mourning is also being observed by the UK the Union Flag may also be flown at half mast to the right of the other flag.
Requests by communities and organisations not included on the list be determined by the Director of Legal and Governance (City Solicitor) following appropriate consultation.
Appendix A Guidelines on national days of mourning
Flying of flags at half mast
'Half mast' means that the flag is flown two-thirds up the flagstaff. The occasions on which flags are to be flown at half mast are:
- from the announcement of the death up to the funeral of the Sovereign, except on Proclamation Day, when they are hoisted right up from 11am to sunset;
- the funerals of members of the Royal Family, subject to special commands in each case;
- the funerals of foreign rulers, subject to special commands in each case;
- the funerals of serving and ex-Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, and the funerals of serving and ex-Scottish First Ministers, subject to special commands in each case.
Rules when days for flying coincide with days for flying at half mast
Flags are to be flown right up all day:
- although a member of the Royal Family, or a near relative of the Royal Family, may be lying dead, unless special commands are received from The King to the contrary;
- although it may be the day of the funeral of a foreign ruler.
If it is a day on which a flag would fly, but the body of a very distinguished subject is lying at a Government building, the flag may fly at half mast on that office until the body has left, after which the flag is to be hoisted right up. On all other Government buildings the flag will fly as usual.
Acts of terrorism and other human tragedies; The death and funeral of serving and ex-serving foreign rulers
In the event of an act of terrorism or other human tragedy, flags should not be flown at half mast unless a special command is issued to the contrary.
Appendix B: Flag Days
Date | Event | Flag |
---|---|---|
25 January | Burns Day | Scottish Flag |
26 January | Australia Day | Australian |
1 to 28 February | Inclusive Pride Sew Keighley Pride |
|
1 March | St David's Day | Welsh |
6 March | Ghana Independence Day | Ghanaian |
Second Monday in March | New Zealand Commonwealth Day | New Zealand |
Second Monday in March | Fly The Flag for the Commonwealth | Commonwealth Flag |
8 March (flag raised for one week) |
International Women's Day | IWD Flag |
17 March | St Patrick's Day | Irish (1st Flag pole) St Patrick's Saltire (Red X on white background) - (2nd flag pole) |
26 March | Bangladesh Independence day | Bangladesh |
23 April | St George's Day | England (City Hall) |
28 April | Workers Memorial Day | City Hall Roof union flag at half mast |
9 May | Europe Day | EU |
11 May | Bradford City Fire | Bradford City Flag |
17 May | IDAHOT and LGBT (International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia) | Pride Flag (rainbow flags x 2) Trans Flag (purple flags x 2) (if possible 2 x flags at each side of Centenary Square – 4 flags in total) |
30 May Approximately (last Saturday in May – Flags to go up on the Friday morning if possible) |
Bradford Pride Festival (also known as LGBT - Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans Pride) | Pride Flag (rainbow flags x 2) Trans Flag (purple flags x 2) (if possible 2 x flags at each side of Centenary Square – 4 flags in total) |
14 June | Estonian Day of remembrance | Estonian Flag |
18 June | Waterloo | Army flag |
22 June | UK celebrates Windrush Day to honour the British Caribbean community | Windrush flag |
Last Saturday in June for 1 week Raised on the Monday to the Saturday of the week which culminates with the Armed Forces Day |
Armed Forces Day | Armed forces day flag plus (RAF, RN and Army) |
1 July | Canadian Dominion Day | Canadian |
Around 11 July Different dates each year (1 week). 11 July is internationally recognised as Srebrenica Memorial Day |
Srebrenica Memorial Week | Srebrenica flag |
1 August | Yorkshire Day | Yorkshire flag (If possible 2 flags 1 each side of Centenary Square) |
6 August | Jamaican Independence | Jamaican |
14 August | Pakistan Independence Day | Pakistan |
15 August | Indian Independence Day | Indian |
24 August | Ukrainian Independence Day | Ukrainian Flag |
3 September | Merchant Navy Day | Red Ensign |
9 September | Emergency Services Day | 999 Day Flag |
9 to 22 September 2024 Dates confirmed each year – runs for 2 weeks in September from a Monday to the Sunday the following week |
Fairtrade Fortnight | Bradford District Fairtrade Flag |
15 September | Battle of Britain | RAF Flag |
21 September | United Nations | United Nations |
23 September | Bi Day of Visibility | Bi flag |
1 October | Black History Month | Black History Month Flag |
1 October | Nigerian Independence Day | Nigerian Flag |
21 October | Battle of Trafalgar | Union flag |
24 October | United Nations Day | United Nations |
24 October | Kashmir National Day | Kashmir Flag |
1 to 11 November | Remembrance | Royal British Legion RBL 'Poppy' flag and a Union flag on each side of the Square and a large RBL flag and Union on the roof. |
Second Sunday in November | Remembrance Sunday | A 'Poppy' and a Union flag on the staffs at the Cenotaph |
3 November | Dominican Independence | Dominica |
20 November | Trans Day of Remembrance | Trans Flags x 2 |
25 November to 10 December | 16 days of action between White Ribbon Day and International Human Rights Day (with the exception of the dates below) | White Ribbon Flag |
30 November | St Andrew's Day | Scottish |
30 November | Barbados Independence | Barbados |
1 December | World AIDS Day | Red Ribbon flag |
Last updated: 14 August 2024