MEMBERS of the public will have had a shock yesterday afternoon seeing protesters outside Shire Hall not wearing very much.

Protesting a decision by Gloucestershire County Council to continue with the construction of the Javelin Park incinerator a couple of the campaigners were only wearing pants.

This is one in a series of ‘acts of disobedience’ by activist group Rising Up which has in the last two weeks spray painted Shire Hall with temporary paint on multiple occasions and last week they protested inside the building interrupting the proceedings in the council chamber.

Of the small number of protesters two were in a state of undress, one of them held a sign reading: "What have you got to hide?".

The group are against the incinerator as they believe it will be damaging for the environment and will not be cost effective.

One of the semi-naked protesters is believed to be Gail Bradbrook, who describes herself as a ‘Compassionate Revolutionary’, she has said previously: “History shows us that on some occasions people are only listened to, by those who are supposed to be acting in our best interests, when they resort to civil disobedience.”

On Wednesday the Conservatives voted down a proposal, put forward by Cllr Lesley Williams (Lab, Stonehouse) with support from Cllr Rachel Smith (Green, Minchinhampton), to halt construction of the controversial incinerator by 31 votes to 22.

The proposal came after the £500 million contract between GCC and Urbaser Balfour Beatty was referred to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Cllr Williams wrote: “The disastrous UBB incinerator project has been plagued by mismanagement from the start of the process.

“The council notes that the contract held between UBB and the Council has been referred to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

“In light of this, the council asks that the administration halt all work on the incinerator site until the CMA has returned a judgement.

“This council should commit to an immediate independent review of the incinerator contract, specifically examining the way in which the administration has conducted itself throughout the process.

“This council also requests that a cross-party working group with involvement of the six district councils to review the management of waste throughout Gloucestershire.”

Prior to Wednesday’s debate Conservative and deputy leader of GCC Cllr Ray Theodoulou, said: “This is a stunt – which Labour know will fail.

“With construction underway for months, halting work would cause massive costs.

"This project was initiated after a transparent public procurement process, which looked neutrally at every technology proposed, and has been repeatedly democratically agreed by the council.

"It is a good deal for residents - the incinerator will save taxpayers over £100m over its life, whilst protecting our environment by cutting CO2 emissions and ending our reliance on landfill."

The protesters are back at Shire Hall today, but with more clothes on this time.