Environment protesters descend on Southend Council meeting

A coalition of protest groups including Surfers Against Sewage, Southend Against Sewage, Friends of the Earth, Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil protestor outside the council ahead of a crunch meeting.

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Afterwards most protesters left the area, with a small group of Extinction Rebellion protesters going into the council chamber and unfurling banners.

Protest (Image: Image: John Fuller)

Protest (Image: Image:)

The protesters say they were demonstrating their anger over:

• Southend Council’s support for expansion of the local airport.
• Lack of action on the council's 2030 Net Zero target.
• Lack of action to tackle sewage on the seafront.
• The number of trees being destroyed and the lack of new trees being planted.
• The ongoing spraying of glyphosate in parks.

Jon Fuller of South Essex Friends of the Earth, who attended the protest, said: “Local people are becoming increasingly concerned by a council that says one thing but does another.

Protest (Image: Image:)

“If the council cares about climate change then it must end its support for the airport, get serious about reducing car use and do far more to protect trees and parks locally.

Protest (Image: Image:)

“Sadly many people are reaching the conclusion that the only way to get councillors to act is to undertake disruptive protest.”

Shah Haider of Southend Against Sewage said: “It was a privilege to stand with Green Party, Friends of the Earth, XR, and Surfers Against Sewage to voice our messages of hope.”

Councillor Carole Mulroney said: "The council takes the global climate and ecological crisis extremely seriously.  As an organisation, we are partnering with a wide range of international, national and local stakeholders to deliver climate positive change in Southend both corporately and city wide.

"We make no apologies for taking an evidence-based approach to our climate change programme. Failing to evidence the scale of the challenge and the impact of our response, results in greenwashing - high profile but low or zero environmental impact.  We have tasked our officers with demonstrating the impact of our policies and projects on carbon reduction and climate adaptation but, as a public body, these have to be balanced against the Council’s wider corporate objectives and the statutory responsibilities that officers are required to comply with.

"We appreciate the city’s residents holding the Council’s feet to the fire on this issue.  Mitigating for and adapting to the impact of climate change is everybody and every organisation’s responsibility.  As the city Council, we are leading by example, engaging with our residents and wider stakeholders and facilitating change by convening partnerships, lobbying government and we will continue to keep the city updated on our journey to becoming a green city."