A handful of eco-campaigners held a protest outside the headquarters of Ceredigion County Council demanding the authority stops banking with Barclays.

The protesters from Extinction Rebellion say they will stop paying their council tax until Ceredigion County Council stops banking with Barclays, who the protesters say finance fossil fuel.

Protestors gathered outside the council offices in Aberaeron at 9.30am on Thursday, 13 July, just as a full meeting of the council was about to take place.

They came dressed in Pyjamas referencing their slogan “sleepwalking into extinction.”

One protestor, Susanna Kenyon said: “Of Britain’s five high street banks, Barclays is the biggest financier of fossil fuels. We very much hope it doesn’t come to a situation where we stop paying council tax, but we will if changes are not made.

“I’m sure we made an impact today, I’m sure the council noticed us and I’m sure they want to get out of their contract with Barclays. But we need to do more leafleting – there is a climate crisis and finance is driving it.”

Green Party member Harry Hayfield said: ”One of the core responsibilities of any local authority is to act in the best interests of their constituents and must therefore ensure that the financial institutions they engage with share their commitment to sustainability, environmental preservation, and social responsibility.”

Another protestor, Steve Ketteringham, said: “Our money is being used to make the climate emergency worse, every day. It is terrible to know this and to fear the impacts this will have on vulnerable communities around the world, and of course, on our own coastal settlements.”

A spokesperson for Ceredigion County council said: “The council intends to advertise a tender opportunity for the provision of banking services to the council before the end of this September. The outcome of that procurement process will determine who the council’s next banking provider will be.”

A Barclays spokesperson said: “As one of the first banks to set an ambition to become net zero by 2050, we are clear that addressing climate change is an urgent and complex challenge. We believe that Barclays can make the greatest difference as a bank by working with customers and clients as they transition to a low-carbon business model.”