Warwickshire County Council's LGBTQ+ staff group has warned of the "deeply unsettling" effect of not guaranteeing that the Pride flag will be flown at Shire Hall.

A letter penned by Angela Dunne, chair of Warwickshire County Council's LGBTQ+ staff network, requested that Reform UK's new flag policy be amended to reinstate the Progress Pride flag to the staple schedule for the duration of June – Pride month.

It has been flown for a number of years with the council's chief executive Monica Fogarty having had delegated authority to decide what flew at the front of the building.

However, new leader Cllr George Finch asked for the Progress Pride flag to be taken down before the end of June this year. Ms Fogarty refused, sparking a public spat that saw the council's most senior member of staff vilified by senior figures from Reform UK, including leader Nigel Farage MP.

Warwickshire's new policy, in line with Reform's stance laid out prior to May's local elections, states that only the UK, England and county flags will be flown as a matter of course with exceptions built in for armed forces and royal flags.

Requests can be made for any other flag to go up but they will be considered at the "sole discretion" of the chair of the council – a position currently held by Reform UK's Cllr Ed Harris.

The policy was voted through by the cabinet on Thursday 4 September, although it is now on hold because more than four councillors requested a review, some of whom argue that it should have been decided at full council because it is a new policy.

A special meeting of the resources, fire and rescue overview and scrutiny committee is to convene for a public-facing meeting at Shire Hall on Monday, September 22 (10am), to take account of all relevant concerns and whether the cabinet should be asked to reconsider.

The letter from Ms Dunne was sent in ahead of the original decision with a request for it to be noted in the minutes of the meeting and responded to.

It noted that the Pride flag had flown in previous years, highlighting the part it had played in creating a welcoming culture for the staff and the practical benefits of continuing to put it up.

"During the recent staff engagement sessions, many employees highlighted the council's inclusive culture as one of the key reasons they chose to work here and a major factor in their decision to stay," wrote Ms Dunne.

"This reputation is not only a source of pride, it is a strategic asset. When staff feel valued and represented, they are more likely to remain in their roles, reducing turnover and the significant costs associated with recruitment, onboarding and lost productivity.

"Visible celebrations of diversity – such as flying the Pride flag – play a vital role in reinforcing this inclusive environment and making Warwickshire County Council an attractive employer that retains talented individuals, fosters organisational stability and safeguards public resources."

She argued that granting the Pride flag a permanent place on the flag-flying schedule "would undoubtedly demonstrate the council's obligations towards diversity, inclusion, and the wellbeing of all communities represented in Warwickshire".

The letter was not published at the time but has been released following a request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Portfolio holder for customer and localities Cllr Mike Bannister introduced the policy on the day and said: "I'd like to reassure Angela Dunne who wrote to us, and all of the staff, that this policy does not in any way threaten your rights, protections or standing in this organisation.

"It is not about undermining anyone's freedoms, it is about establishing order and fairness in a space that belongs to all the people of Warwickshire.

"What would be discriminatory is to elevate one group above all others and grant it a unique right to fly its flag above Shire Hall. That would not be equality, that would be privilege and privilege is not what this council stands for."