An ad by Brighton and Hove City Council has been banned for misleadingly suggesting a direct link between the use of wood burners and open fires and an increase in pollution.
The digital poster, seen in December, included a graphic of a wood-burning stove that was emitting smoke in the shape of an adult and child, and the text: “Harmful particle pollution near 4 city primary schools was 78% higher last winter compared with last summer. Wood burners and open fires. The cosy killer.”
Small text at the bottom of the ad stated: “City sensor data comparing December 2024 to April 2025 with May 2025 to November 2025 at Middle Street, Elm Grove Primary, Adlington Primary and Saltdean Primary schools.”
Two complainants, including the owner of a chimney sweeping business, said the ad misleadingly implied that the use of wood burners and open fires was the cause of the claimed increase in particle pollution.
Brighton & Hove City Council said the ad was part of a campaign to raise awareness of the damaging impact of particulate matter (PM) pollution from domestic wood burning, including open fires and wood burners.
They compared pollution levels in two parts of the year – one covering winter months when wood burners and open fires were used more often and the other covering the warmer April to October.
Across all eight monitoring sites PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less) pollution was 91% higher in period one than period two.
The same results showed a 79% increase across the four primary schools between the two periods.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad implied there was a direct causal link between the use of wood burners and open fires, and the claimed increase in particulate pollution, and that those heat sources were the sole cause of the increase.
It said: “While we understood domestic wood burning was a significant contributor to urban PM2.5 emissions, we had not seen evidence in support of the direct link claimed in the ad.”
The ASA found that additional evidence supplied by the council did not make findings on the claimed increase in particulate pollution at the primary schools referenced in the ad.
The ASA concluded: “The ad implied that wood burners and open fires were the cause of the claimed increase in particulate pollution around four city primary schools.
“However, we had not seen evidence to substantiate the claim. We therefore concluded the ad was likely to mislead.”
Banning the ad, the ASA said: “We told Brighton & Hove City Council to ensure that robust evidence was held to substantiate any claims where a direct causal link between the use of wood burners and open fires and an increase in particle pollution was stated or implied.”
Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for net zero and environmental services at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We have clear and detailed local data that shows the impact that burning solid fuels has on air quality in our densely populated urban areas.
“The ASA has ruled that, in one of the campaign graphics we used, there was an insufficiently clear link to the evidence. There was no ruling against the campaign as a whole, or the other materials that were used.
“The health implications of PM2.5 exposure are well-documented. We’re working towards cleaner air in Brighton & Hove and will always act to protect the health of people in our city.”
Note there is no Adlington Primary school in B&H
This illustrates one of the dangers of local democracy. Some elected councillors fall under the misapprehension that a couple of thousand votes makes them experts in matters about which they have little or no qualification or experience. The hubris occassional extends to the level that they feel they must impose their poorly thought through ideas on the local electorate and further afield. There was a similar situation not long ago when Hannh Claire of the Green Party imposed Critical Race Theory on local schools.
Of course there will be no apology from Sankey, Rowkins and co. Instead, a barage of lame justification. It would be helpful if local politicians left such matters to experts and concentrated on the more basic tasks expected of those running a local authority such as maintaining infrastructure, traffic flow, public refuse and other somewhat less ‘headline grabbing’ activities.
I don’t think it’s local democracy as such that is the problem, but think there is an issue of honesty and integrity from some councillors.
In the case of Cllr Tim Rowkins, he has said things on multiple occasions that are simply not true. wWhether that’s down to ignorance and a lack of knowing the detail and nuance of an issue like you suggest, or a deliberate misrepresentation of facts for political point, we’ll probably never know. What is clear though is that the way in which the council doubles down when they get things wrong is costly. No doubt the council spent addition public funds through officer time and seeking legal advice to defend its case. Why are they so frequently losing legal cases and what is being done to ensure the council doesn’t waste more public money defended cases when it has made a mistake with careless wording.
The council has also made it harder for public scrutiny of decision making and for opposition scrutiny at meetings. They simply double down and consistently end up in a position of doggedly defending poor decision-making.
scoring councillors appearing to just make stuff up as they go along. Councillor Tim Rowkins has simply said things on multiple occasions, in the press and at council meetings, which simply are not true
So correlation rather than causation. They can re-jig the ad and use it next year ensuring that they make that point clear.
Without giving data on actual levels and thresholds any statement on air quality is erroneous. The relevance of a % change is entirely dependent on the baseline levels. UK has very conservative thresholds for air safety. If these criteria are met then there is no cause for concern. Nitrogen Dioxide: Maximum annual mean of 40 ug/m3. Hourly mean must not exceed 200 ug/m3 more than 18 times per year. Larger Particulates: Maximum annual mean of 40 ug/m3. The 24-hour mean must not exceed 50 ug/m3more than 35 times a year. Fine Particulates: Maximum annual mean of 20 ug/m3 . In England, legally binding long-term targets require this to fall to 10 ug/m3or lower by 2040. BHCC is very poor at accurately communicating the impact of scientific findings – thee communications group needs an overhaul. The bus signs were misleading and irresponsible. Burning dry wood is acceptable and cheaper than paying for gas.
Burning dry wood is not acceptable by 400% and is not cheaper than gas. It is you who are misleading and show a poor values to other people lives
Spending thousands of public money on a council misinformation campaign to scare people out of staying warm in winter, paly thoewho can no longer afford their utility bills is a disgrace. The Council cabinet minister for the environment and deputy leader Tim Rowkins should resign with immediate effect and any associated council officers sacked.