On Monday 19th May 2025, the council chamber in Fenland was the stage for a debate that went beyond procedural motions and budget lines. At its heart was a question of identity: should the Fens, a landscape of remarkable history and resilience, have its own flag?
The motion was submitted by Councillor Elisabeth Sennitt Clough, who has long championed the cultural heritage of the area. She proposed the creation of a competition to design an official Flag for the Fens—one that would both celebrate the unique history of the region and unify its residents under a shared symbol.
What followed was an hour of spirited debate, weaving together pride, scepticism, politics, and a deep awareness of the delicate balance between local tradition and evolving regional governance.
However, as we will discover, there is already a Flag of the Fens, which has won support from many groups and organisations, not least among them a plethora of other local councils and even the MP for NE Cambs, Steve Barclay.
- Councillors weigh up whether the region needs a new design—or simply to recognise the flag already flying.
But back, for now to the motion.
Cllr Sennitt Clough, who chairs the Culture, Arts & Heritage Committee, said there was clear public support for a Fenland flag and emphasised the importance of creating a transparent process that included residents from across the region.
The motion proposed that:
- The Culture, Arts & Heritage Committee initiate a public competition to design a flag for the Fens.
- Fenland District Council (FDC) take on administrative responsibilities, due to its central geographical role within the area.
- The judging panel include representatives from across the wider Fens and a member of the Flag Institute, to ensure fairness and expert input.
Cllr Sennitt Clough said a flag would be an important cultural symbol, particularly with the prospect of new unitary authorities and future changes to administrative boundaries.
Unfortunately, a promised update on a competition to establish Cllr Sennitt Clough’s interpretation of a Flag of the Fens is yet to materialise.
The item was on the agenda for a meeting of the culture, arts, and heritage committee on June 3, but Cllr Sennitt Clough was unable to move the issue forward.
“A proposed competition framework has been sent to the Flag Institute for their views, and they have written back to me to confirm receipt,” she told her fledgling committee.
“I was hoping to bring it today but that they’re still considering; we’re still in discussions with them and so I’ll update the committee at the next meeting when the details have been finalised. So, unless anyone has any points to make on that I’ll move on to agenda item nine.”
- A spirited debate reveals pride, scepticism, and politics behind the push for a Fenland flag.
Unfortunately, that could be in a while. Fenland Council website points out, with no explanation, that the next scheduled meeting of the committee – September 9 – has been cancelled.
So where are we? Not that far advanced seemingly since the Flag Institute is still considering the original Flag of the Fens, designed in 2016 by Peter James Bowman, and laying solid claims to representing the Fens region in eastern England, covering parts of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
It features a Fen Tiger on a yellow and blue background, symbolizing local history, agricultural prosperity, and waterways.
The flag is popular locally but not yet officially recognized; a campaign for official status by the Flag Institute is ongoing, with recent support from local councils and MPs.
Merchandise like flags, stickers, and clothing is widely available, reflecting regional pride.
Councillor Sennitt Clough’s motion was clear in its intent. The Fens, she argued, deserved a flag that could capture its essence and provide a rallying symbol for the people who live there. Public enthusiasm was already evident, and the time had come to channel that energy into a structured and transparent process, although clearly the public enthusiasm appears to be for what already exists not for what Fenland councillors might produce.
- With one flag already in circulation, some ask if a new competition is necessary—or political.
Councillors at Fenland Hall do not by any means expound universal support for a competition to create an alternative Flag of the Fens.
Take for example council leader Chris Boden.
Although he seconded the motion to advance the idea, he himself admitted to initial scepticism. A flag, he felt, might be a distraction from more pressing council business. Yet he acknowledged the groundswell of public interest.
“It has become a big issue for people,” he said, noting that the Flag Institute had confirmed that if a Flag for the Fens were to emerge, Fenland District Council was the logical authority to lead the process.
Boden’s support came with caveats. He insisted that the project must not burden the council financially or consume excessive officer time. With careful planning, he argued, it could be run at virtually no cost, while still igniting widespread enthusiasm. He spoke with optimism about schools getting involved (although surprisingly a recent culture meeting debated, on a separate topic, the reluctance of local schools to get involved in such projects as singing for public events and the Fenland Poet Laureate competition).
Other councillors were also less than convinced.
Councillor David Patrick pointed out that an unofficial flag for the Fens already exists, one that has gained endorsements from Peterborough City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, South Holland District Council, multiple parish councils, and several Members of Parliament. Why, he asked, should time and effort be spent on a competition that might simply reaffirm what many people already consider to be the flag? He feared the competition would appear predetermined if the existing design won, and pointless if it did not.
- The Flag Institute calls for open competition, but locals argue the choice has already been made.
Councillor Steve Tierney struck a different note. He openly admitted he disliked the idea of a flag for the Fens altogether.
“It’s a waste of time and money,” he argued, adding that there were more important matters for the council to focus on. Yet, acknowledging that many of his constituents felt otherwise, he accepted the logic of holding a competition. What he could not support, he said, was the idea that a flag could be declared by fiat, without open participation. If a competition were held, and if the so-called existing flag were to win fairly, he would accept the outcome.
Councillor Mark Purser spoke with the passion of someone deeply tied to the land. To him, a flag was not frivolous—it was an emblem of belonging.
“I am a proud Cambridgeshire and Fen man,” he declared, recalling how he still wore the Cambridgeshire badge to show his roots. A flag for the Fens, in his view, would give others the same chance to express pride and attachment.
The sharpest opposition came from Councillor Gavin Booth. To him, the matter was already settled: there is a Flag of the Fens, already flying proudly and endorsed by the community. The only barrier to full recognition, he claimed, was political since the current chamber had resisted adopting it simply because it was proposed by an opposition councillor. To launch a competition now, he argued, was nonsense—unnecessary duplication driven by politics, not public need.
The Rebuttal
Councillor Sennitt Clough closed the debate by quoting directly from the Flag Institute. Their stated preference, she explained, was always for a design to emerge through a public competition, maximising both involvement and legitimacy. Only when such a process was not possible would the Institute consider individual designs backed by representative bodies.
“This council is willing to run a competition,” she reminded colleagues, “and that is the Flag Institute’s preference.”
By running the process openly, she argued, councillors would not only respect tradition but also fulfil their duty as elected representatives—to give voice and opportunity to the people who had placed them in office.
Looking Ahead
Whatever the outcome of the competition—whether a new design triumphs, or the existing unofficial flag gains formal recognition—the motion marked a turning point. The debate itself reflected how strongly people feel about the Fens, its heritage, and its future.
