Residents and campaigners have panned a long-term energy plan for the region as a 'vague', 'useless' and like 'rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic'.

Despite criticism, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) report has been adopted as the region's official energy strategy.

West of England Mayor Tim Bowles defended the document, which aims to create a 'diverse, resilient and affordable energy system that enables economic growth and reduces greenhouse emissions', insisting it was a 'high-level framework' which will help shape future energy schemes.

But several residents, renewable energy experts and Green Party councillors slammed the £50,000 report, paid for by a grant from the Government to the Local Enterprise Partnership which commissioned research by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE).

Speaking from the public gallery, Sam Morris said: “The energy strategy is a huge disappointment.

“It contains no actionable, measurable plan and offers no timetable to enable the West of England to travel towards a sustainable, zero-carbon future.

“The process of putting this report together began back in 2017 when WECA commissioned CSE to produce a report.

“I have no idea how, in over one year, WECA has managed to put together such a vague and frankly useless strategy.

“WECA has squandered £50,000 of public money. As it stands, it will deliver too little, too late.

“To me, this is rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.”

Huw Johnson said: “I find myself baffled, astonished and, to be honest, angered by WECA’s energy strategy report.

“The energy strategy appears to be just a 20-page PowerPoint presentation.

“It contains only five short pages describing what WECA actually intends to do and these are couched in terms so vague and non-committal that they give no clear sense of what the outcomes might be.

“There are no targets to which you can be held accountable."

WECA mayor Tim Bowles said 'more detailed action planning' would come later.

Responding to criticism WECA’s strategy lacked leadership, North Somerset Council leader Nigel Ashton said: “Leadership is not about promising things that cannot be delivered.

“This strategy is an overarching ambition based on the government guidelines.

“Most councils are discussing their action plans but we are not funded to do this kind of work, so it has to come from our budgets."