Reform UK Council scraps net zero as meeting hijacked by protestors

West Northamptonshire Council has pulled back from its net zero 2030 and 2045 targets over concerns it could 'send the council bust'

Nadia Lincoln Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 17th July 2025 1:01pm

A Northamptonshire Council has officially scrapped its net zero targets, despite protestors’ attempts to stop proceedings by staging a ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’.

The Reform UK administration has said it wants to ‘refocus’ the council’s sustainability commitments and prioritise public resources towards delivering practical projects for residents. Last night (Wednesday, July 16), members voted to revoke pledges to reach net zero operational emissions by 2030 and those of residents and businesses by 2045.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) Leader, Mark Arnull, said that the authority “simply can’t afford net zero”, but that it is still fully committed to creating a more sustainable West Northants and looking after the local environment.

“The previous administration set no budget to fund net zero, and instead set undeliverable targets that if attempted, would likely send the council bust,” he added.

“In scrapping our net zero goals, it’s going to enable us to deliver better for people and better local outcomes for residents and businesses. We’re going to make decisions that do withstand criticism, but they do deliver value and above all they serve our residents.”

Becoming the second council in the country to axe the emissions targets, just hours after Durham County Council also revoked its pledge, the proposals did not go without fierce objection.

The Cabinet meeting was briefly paused and moved into a different room after clean air campaigners from Northampton group 1000 Voices took over the chamber, playing music, wearing fancy dress costumes and reciting from a script on climate issues.

Addressing the committee before the disruption, campaigner Tina Matthew warned that the meeting would not continue if they refused to strike the net zero report off their agenda.

She said: “WNC must recognise the life changing impacts of the climate crisis. It’s happening now, it’s happening on your doorstep.

“There is no sustainability without climate action. It is nonsense to say that you have a commitment to climate action on the environment through sustainability- what does that mean?”

The meeting temporarily disbanded and returned after protestors left the building, however the administration’s proposals were still met with further objection from opposition councillors.

Leader of the Conservative group, Cllr Dan Lister, called the report ‘deeply disappointing’.

He said: “We’re not having an honest conversation about priorities, we’re simply taking orders from Reform HQ and kicking difficult decisions down the road to future administrations. Whilst we cannot solve global climate change from West Northamptonshire, the changes we make locally absolutely affects our residents’ lives.

“The green sector is one of the fastest growing parts of our economy, creating skilled local jobs. By watering down our commitment we risk losing investment to councils showing real leadership.

“Without clean targets and deadlines this strategy becomes just another document gathering dust. Residents deserve to know when will the flooding stop, when will our air be cleaner, when will the energy bills reduce.”

Cllr Ian McCord (Ind) spoke in support of the policy direction, which he said was “based in reality”.

He added: “Last month at Council, many berated the administration for not having a plan and a policy, tonight they complain that the administration has the temerity to implement the only policy arguably that it has.

“Those that are crying into their tofu and quinoa forget that they lost the last election. We will strike a balance between cost, practicality, technological reality and the environment.”

Reform says scrapping the goals will enable the Council to prioritise sustainability projects to provide tangible benefits for residents, such as home energy improvements, increased biodiversity, and solar power generation where the business case supports cost savings.

The Cabinet unanimously voted to approve the motion and remove the 2030 and 2045 net zero targets. Going forward, reference to the ‘climate impact’ of council projects will also be removed, replacing it with a section on the ‘environmental impact’.

More News Headlines