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Campaigners from the 1000 Voices clean air campaign are set to return to the West Northamptonshire Council meetings at the Northampton guildhall from this Thursday. The group have said that the new council is “an opportunity for change” after the former council leader Jonathan Nunn stepped down amidst allegations of domestic violence.

1000 Voices is a campaign for clean air that emerged after reports in 2023 showed Northampton to be among the worst places in the UK for air pollution, resulting in 102 deaths each year according to Public Health England figures. The group is comprised of hundreds of local individuals who have added their name to a "list of concerned citizens" and have pledged to campaign against "council inaction".

A number of events since September 2023 have seen the group recieve large amounts of publicity, including regional and national news reports, and 1000 Voices say that they "mean to continue until action is taken to protect lives." Earlier this year, the group has disrupted West Northamptonshire Council's full council meetings with theatrical protests, including handing out non-genuine death certificates to councillors representing local Northampton residents who have died, and even staging a fake death during a meeting inside the Guildhall.

West Northamptonshire Council have claimed that they are making progress with the issue of air pollution in the town, recently closing a consultation on the issue which local campaigners called "woefully inadequate" and "kicking the can down the road after 21 years of doing nothing."

Hundreds signed up for the first 1000 Voices peaceful gathering in September 2023

The change in council leader will see former deputy council leader Adam Brown take over from Jonathan Nunn, as well as some changes in other cabinet positions locally.

A 1000 Voices spokesperson said: "The long-overdue change in council leader presents an opportunity for West Northamptonshire Council to show the public that it takes the health of local residents seriously. The former council leader was quick to rebut the evidence before him and regularly claimed that taking action to reduce air pollution was unpopular. Our persistent and ever-growing campaign shows how wrong he was. We live in hope that these changes will mark a future of responding to the science and evidence before us, rather than pretending the issue isn't there while Northampton residents suffer."

1000 Voices say that anyone who shares their concerns for Northampton's air quality and wants to be part of a community focused on tackling this issue should join them on Thursday 16th May from 5pm at the Northampton guildhall for a peaceful gathering.

You can find more information about 1000 Voices on their website at: www.umbrellafair.org/1000voices

1000 Voices campaigners to say “new council is an opportunity for change”