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Clean air protestors took to the Guildhall last night to stage a fake death in front of onlooking councillors and the public gallery, in a call to action for the council to publish their air quality strategy.

A ‘1,000 Voices’ campaign member fell to the ground coughing and spluttering during one of the group’s speeches to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), in an attempt to replicate a death caused by air pollution. He was then carried out of the council chamber after shouting “It’s too late for me” and “They died of asthma”.

Campaigner Tina Matthew, who was speaking during this episode, said: “I’m asking, yet again, how long do we have to wait for West Northamptonshire to take action on Northampton’s toxic air?

Clean air protesters from 1000 voices took to the steps of the Guildhall before the meeting.

“We call for West Northamptonshire Council to publish by July 1, 2024 a fully costed, time-framed, Air Quality Action Plan which meets World Health Organisation clean air standards and is implemented within three months of publication.”

She claimed that deaths in the county due to air pollution were “directly as a result of inaction from the council”. This protest comes after campaigners handed out imitation death certificates marked “A Northampton Resident” to councillors at the county’s last meeting in February.

Currently, WNC is running a consultation on its draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP). It states that reducing air pollution is “vitally important to our health and environment”. The consultation has been extended and will close at midnight on April 1.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will decide on the final AQAP and notify the council if it can be applied or not. The air quality plan will then be subject to an annual review, appraisal of progress and reporting to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Place.

A campaigner stood up in a coughing fit before collapsing to the floor to stage a death. Other 1000 voices members entered the Guildhall to carry him out. Credit: 1000 voices

A spokesperson for 1000 Voices said: “We intend to make this ‘invisible threat’ very visible by bringing together 1,000 people in Northampton to call on West Northamptonshire Council to act. We can save lives by working together to tackle toxic air.”

Protestors stage fake death in public gallery of council meeting in Northampton to raise concerns about 'toxic' air