Northampton air pollution campaigners hand out 'death certificates'

Campaigners brought their banners to the Guildhall in Northampton

Air pollution campaigners interrupted a council meeting to hand over fake death certificates.

The "1,000 voices" campaigners said the 102 certificates represented the number of people who would die this year because of "inaction" by West Northamptonshire Council.

The protesters lined the corridors of the Guildhall to "ensure that councillors knew" they were there.

The council said it was focussing efforts on improving air quality.

The fake death certificates were issued in respect of "a Northampton resident"

The fake certificates were handed out during a meeting at which Tina Matthew, from Clean Air Northampton, got permission to speak.

She said: "We are providing you with 102 death certificates to remind you of the cost of inaction.

"These will now be delivered respectfully and peacefully by members of the campaign."

Campaigners handed out fake death certificates to councillors in a full council meeting

A spokesperson for the campaign said: "This is the third of our peaceful gatherings, and it's the first where we've entered the building to ensure that councillors can't get to the chamber without knowing we are there."

The council is in the process of finalising an air quality action plan, but campaigners feel the document has been drafted too quickly to avoid government sanctions and does not go far enough.

Campaigners said they wanted to make sure councillors knew they were there

A spokesperson for West Northamptonshire Council said it was in the process of developing an Air Quality Action Plan, or AQAP, which outlines the steps it will take towards improving air quality and reducing air pollution.

Its leader, Jonathan Nunn, said: "The AQAP is the first crucial step towards putting measures in place to improve air quality in Northampton, and wider West Northamptonshire.

"As part of the development of the plan, we will be looking at how we can improve air quality as a local authority and how we can support residents in making changes to help achieve these aims."

A consultation on the Air Quality Action Plan ends on 17 March.