The party in control of Nottinghamshire County Council says it will work through the planning process
06:45, 10 Jan 2026
Reform UK has told opponents to move on from their 'obsession' with its Union Flag banners after questions were raised about the planning permission needed for businesses to sponsor them.
The party now in control of Nottinghamshire County Council spent £75,000 putting up 164 banners across Nottinghamshire, which are initially being used to display the Union flag, but which will later be used to promote other commemorative events and council services.
Questions were raised about the spending and this prompted Reform's Ashfield MP, Lee Anderson, to claim that the banners would "not cost the taxpayer a single penny" as the party was going to get businesses to sponsor them.
It has now been confirmed that, for any businesses wishing to advertise on the banners, advertising consent will be needed from the relevant district or borough authority.
Nottinghamshire County Council has confirmed that, although some of its banners already have such approval, it has not yet started the application process for the ones that do not.
A spokesman said: "Planning permission will be needed from district/borough councils to use the banners for advertising.
"The council already has some existing sites with planning approval, so we know it is feasible. However, we have yet to go through the formal application process."
Lee Anderson had said in his original video on the banners: "Let me tell you, yes it has cost £75,000 to put these up all throughout Nottinghamshire.
"The good news is, it will not cost the taxpayer a single penny because we want to get these sponsored by local businesses.
"They're going to pay for the fitting, the upkeep and the maintenance and guess what? We're actually going to make a profit on these.
"[To] the people spouting this nonsense about 'it's costing us a fortune' - it's not costing you a single penny. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it."
Confirmation that the county council would need permission for sponsors on the banners came after Councillor Sam Smith, the Conservative leader of the opposition at the authority, wrote to every borough and district council in Nottinghamshire about the issue.
Replies seen by Nottinghamshire Live confirm that advertising consent will be needed and that no applications have yet been received.
Mick Barton, the Reform leader of the county council, said: "We know the process for putting advertising banners up and the officers acknowledge that we do have existing sites with planning permission.
"Any extra sites requiring planning permission will be looked at and dealt with as they come through, as Councillor Smith well knows, as we all do at County."
Yet Councillor Smith said: "Lee Anderson MP gloated on social media about the banner sponsorship, telling taxpayers to 'put that in your pipe and smoke it'.
"Well, here are the facts: sponsorship cannot happen without the approval of the district and borough councils, which Reform do not control, and no applications have been received.
"So, £75,000 of taxpayers' money has been spent on flags by Reform councillors while our roads are left to crumble. Lee and Reform can put these facts in their pipe and smoke it, and begin to focus instead on the real priorities of Nottinghamshire residents."
Councillor Barton similarly suggested that Councillor Smith should focus on the "real priorities of Nottinghamshire residents", saying: "I do suggest that Councillor Smith moves on with his obsession with the banners.
"Meanwhile, I along with my Reform colleagues will be working on the years of Tory neglect on the highways and the important work, running the council moving forward.
"Councillor Smith's comments on the highways are ridiculous. Him and his party have had 10 years to sort out the highways in the county and they did a very poor job, which is why they did not get back in control.
"The Conservatives do not know the difference between a surface that has been cleaned or resurfaced.
"Within our first seven months, we have reported and filled in more potholes than they ever did within that period. We also have a full programme of works for the next 24 months to massively improve the roads throughout the county.
"Our Reform group at county and Lee Anderson are obviously living in Sam's head, rent free. We strongly believe in Family, Community, Country."