Warrington Council is looking at implementing costly security measures to protect staff removing St George's cross and Union flags.
Highways workers have been verbally abused by people when taking down unauthorised flags erected by the public.
Council leader Hans Mundry said: ‘Going forward, we are looking at having to implement enhanced security measures for staff who are removing flags, which will come at significant additional cost.'
A spokesperson said the council had not yet decided what form the security measures would take and was ‘giving consideration to all of the potential options available to us'.
Warrington's policy on flags has been to assess and remove them if they pose a health and safety risk or where routine maintenance works are carried out.
However, Cllr Mundry said this was increasing the workload for frontline environment and highways services at a time when they were required to maintain gullies to prevent flooding and maintain streetlights.
He added: ‘Sadly, some of our staff who have been out removing flags on this basis, have been subject to verbal abuse.
‘Now, more than ever, we cannot afford for our services to become distracted by the need to remove self-installed flags.
‘I ask again that residents who wish to demonstrate their national pride do so lawfully, and in ways that reflect our important local and national values of respect, inclusion, tolerance and community togetherness.'
