Four Extinction Rebellion activists climbed on top of County Hall in Trowbridge this morning as part of a protest against Wiltshire Council’s 'lack of action' on climate change.

They stood on a parapet singing "Power, power, power to the people" in protest at Wiltshire Council's climate change strategy and what they claim is its lack of action to meet 2030 carbon neutral emission targets.

The protest was timed to coincide with Wiltshire Council’s full council meeting at Trowbridge Civic Centre where councillors are expected to adopt Wiltshire Council’s Climate Strategy.

But the ER activists say the document is full of good intention but short on meaningful and deliverable actions.

The group, whose members come from all over Wiltshire, are joining forces with local community groups to protest at the 'lack of action' from Wiltshire County Council since declaring a climate emergency three years ago.

They say that, once again the council is demonstrating a lack of urgency and priority toward “not just the greatest issue of our time but the greatest issue of all time” according to Sir David King, the former UK Government chief scientific advisor.

Occupational therapist, Wiltshire resident and environmental activist, Louise Weissel from Bradford on Avon, said: “Wiltshire Council has produced a document full of nice words and pretty diagrams, but its actions on the ground point in completely the opposite direction.

“Their Local Plan proposes to completely trash the countryside with 46,000 houses on greenfield land, and they recently approved a huge plastic-burning incinerator next door to a local dairy products company in Westbury.

“These plans will have a devastating effect on local residents: they involve more tarmac, lots more traffic, and the loss of our valuable natural spaces. The pollution run-off into the rivers will be even worse than now.

“The plans don’t consider the health and wellbeing of residents, or the health of the planet. They are destructive and short-termist, and just about making money. I am really angry. That’s why I am here.”

 In October 2021, Extinction Rebellion made three demands of Wiltshire Council:

* Stop the building of the Westbury Incinerator

* Immediately make carbon reduction the council’s top priority across all areas of its work

* Convene a citizens assembly to shape policy in addressing the climate emergency.

Ms Weissel added: “We will be restating these demands at today’s protest. In keeping with the vast majority of those who participated in the consultation on the climate strategy, we are demanding deeds not words, actions not greenwash.”

Nick Aslett, another climate activist from Bradford on Avon, said: “We are facing the greatest ever threat to the climate and ecology of our planet and our council is behaving as if a “business as usual” approach is what’s needed.

"This isn’t in the best interest of Wiltshire residents now and certainly not for the generations to come.”