Pallavi Devulapalli, an independent on West Norfolk Council (WNC), said officers had gone beyond their remit in allowing the flag to be flown and said the move left the authority open to a legal challenge.

The Progress flag is a redesign of the rainbow Pride flag, featuring the addition of colours to represent transgender, intersex, people of colour and those affected by HIV/AIDS as part of the wider LGBTQ+ community.

Critics, including members of the LGB community, say the incorporation of the pink, blue and white of the transgender flag means the symbol promotes gender ideology.

This is the heavily contested and controversial idea that people's so-called "gender identity" should take primacy over biological sex.

Independent councillor Pallavi Devulapalli (Image: Supplied)

Dr Devulapalli, who was a parliamentary candidate for the Greens until being expelled over her criticism of gender ideology, said in an e-mail to its chief executive Kate Blakemore: "Trans ideology is not a harmless 'inclusive' ideology as its proponents would have you believe.

"It seeks to confer superior rights to one group of people with a protected characteristic (trans identified men)  over those of another (women)."

Dr Devulappali, who is a GP, said it had done "very real harm" to children and young people who expressed confusion or distress about their gender.

"In addition, it has resulted in men who self-identify as women being allowed into women’s refuges, prisons and changing rooms causing immense harm to the safety, privacy and dignity of these women," she added.

The Progress Pride flag, which West Norfolk council officers agreed could be flown outside its offices during Pride Weekend in August (Image: West Norfolk council)

She said flying the flag would go against the council's duty to be impartial in political matters and leave it open to legal challenge. 

"Officers arguably acted outwith their remit by making a decision on such a politically sensitive issue," she went on.  

"For all of these reasons, I do not want to see the Progress flag flown on taxpayer-funded buildings."

Pallavi Devulappali was a partliamentary candidate for the Green Party before being expelled over her comments regarding gender identity (Image: Chris Bishop)

Meanwhile, the Women's Rights Network Norfolk has also called for the council to reconsider its decision and explain why officers believed they had the authority to approve a politically contentious symbol under delegated powers.

Its spokeswomen Ermine Amies said: "Flying the ‘progress’ flag is not a neutral act. It signals institutional endorsement of an ideology that undermines and opposes women’s legal rights to single‑sex spaces, services, and sports.

West Norfolk council's offices in King's Lynn (Image: Ian Burt)

"All public bodies have a duty to foster good relations and remain impartial. This decision does neither. Women and girls in West Norfolk deserve better from their council."

Under the ruling by council officers, the flag will be flown during Pride weekend in August.

Reform councillors have already criticised the decision, although Jo Rust, another independent, has spoken in support.

She said: "Trans people are people. I have trans friends and their struggle and experiences deserve recognition.

"As such it is right that our council flies the Progress flag and I hope it continues."

The authority has not responded to a request for comment.

© Eastern Daily Press