A row has broken out over the Harrietsham Christmas lights after Kent County Council told the village that festive decorations could not be installed unless flags on lamp-posts, including St George’s flags, were first taken down.
The Reform-led council controlling the county of Kent said the move was necessary for safety reasons.
However many locals are dismayed that the village’s Christmas display may now not go ahead at all.
Harrietsham Parish Council said the county council issued a permit for Christmas lights along the A20 but included a condition requiring any flags to be removed beforehand.
The parish council explained that the new rule has left it in a difficult position, as the lights are already contracted and the hire costs must still be paid even if the installation cannot take place. The council’s statement noted that “it is not within the contractor’s remit to remove flags as part of the installation process” and that public funds cannot be used to pay for the removal of privately owned items.
Peter Osborne, Kent County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said the instruction was clear and justified. “Flags on streetlight columns pose a risk during installation, so they must be removed to ensure the lights go up safely and can be enjoyed by everyone.”
He added that the claim Harrietsham Parish Council would face “significant extra costs is simply wrong” and emphasised that “safety must come first.”
Mr Osborne said the parish’s contractor could remove the flags as part of the same job without significant extra expense.
However, Harrietsham Parish Council insists that when the flags were first put up, it discussed the matter with its contractor, which confirmed it could install the lights around the flags without issue. That arrangement is no longer possible under the conditions set by the Reform-led Kent county council.
The parish council has now asked anyone who originally installed the flags to take them down voluntarily so the Harrietsham Christmas lights can still be put up this year.
The situation has caused frustration and confusion in the village. In August, Kent County Council publicly stated that it would not be removing flags, including St George’s and union jack flags, from buildings or lampposts unless they posed a safety risk to road users or the public. To some residents, this latest move appears to contradict that stance. Others see it as consistent with the council’s position on safety but badly timed ahead of the festive season.
Stuart Jeffery, leader of Maidstone Borough Council, said the decision was “absolutely ironic” considering the earlier statement from Kent County Council. “They’re cancelling Christmas for Harrietsham, which I think is a shame,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Jeffery also described the flags as “divisive” and said he supported their removal. “Anybody could go up and remove those flags. They are on public property,” he added.
Many residents of the village have expressed disappointment at the standoff. Ray Bastone, who lives in Harrietsham, said: “I don’t know why the people who put the flags up don’t take them down for Christmas so the lights can go up. They can put them up afterwards if they want. It’s a shame we’ll have no lights up.” Fellow villager Mike Flawn shared a similar view. “It’s good to see the St George’s flag up by the road but somebody should take responsibility and take them down for Christmas. I’d like to see the flags put up again in January as I’m very patriotic.”
Not everyone in the community feels the same way. Harry Cuthbert, who works nearby, said the situation reflects deeper tensions. “These flags spread division in the community and now we’re losing the lights which bring us all together,” he said, describing it as a case of “reaping what you sow.”
For now, the future of the Harrietsham Christmas lights remains uncertain.
The parish council says it wants the festive decorations to go ahead but cannot act without cooperation from those responsible for the flags.
Kent County Council maintains that safety regulations must take priority and insists that the issue can be resolved without major cost if the flags are removed.
As both sides wait for action, residents fear that the village’s annual Christmas display could fall victim to an argument over who should climb the lampposts first.
