Issue - meetings

To receive and consider report 18/08 of the Strategic Director and Chief Finance Officer. 

Introduction and Report Summary

Under the Environment Act 1990 the Council has a duty to take action to work towards the improvement of local air quality where national objectives are breached at locations where people live. Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) have now been declared in parts of Abingdon and Botley and Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) will now need to be devised and implemented.

By nature AQAPs are broad ranging and require the cooperation of a number of Council Service disciplines and external agencies and require extensive engagement with the public and other stakeholders.  This report recommends a Council – wide approach to air quality management including the creation of a project board to oversee the process of AQAP production and implementation. 

The contact officer for this report is David Stevens Deputy Director (Environmental Health) tel.(01235540378). Email: david.stevens@whitehorsedc.co.uk.

Recommendations

That Executive:

(a)       notes the background information concerning current issues that will

                        need to be taken into account in Air Quality Action Planning; and

            (b)       notes the importance of and implications from adopting a Council-wide approach to the management of local air quality including the creation of an advisory group by the Member with portfolio holder responsibility for Environmental Health..

(Time: 3.51pm to 3.59pm)

The Executive received and considered report 18/08 of the Strategic Director and Chief Finance Officer.  Under the Environment Act 1990 the Council had a duty to take action to work towards the improvement of local air quality where national objectives were breached at locations where people lived.  Air Quality Management Areas had been declared in parts of Abingdon and Botley and Air Quality Action Plans would need to be devised and implemented.  These plans were broad ranging and required the cooperation of a number of Council service disciplines and external agencies, as well as consultation with the public and other stakeholders. 

The Executive was recommended to adopt a Council–wide approach and create a project board to oversee the process of Air Quality Action Plan production and implementation. 

It was reported that there had been a considerable reduction in Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) in some Abingdon town centre streets but further reductions were needed.  However, Ock Street in Abingdon needed further monitoring to establish what work, if any, was needed.  Around 50% of emissions were from goods vehicles and negotiations were needed with Oxfordshire County Council on highway routing.  One problem that needed to be tackled was the goods vehicle driver training centre at Culham that used Stert Street in Abingdon as part of its test route, adding to the problems in the town centre. 

Members agreed to the proposals, suggesting that the Portfolio Holder talked to both Group Leaders about membership of any informal advisory group. 

RESOLVED

(a)       that the background information concerning current issues to be taken into account in Air Quality Action Planning be noted; and

(b)      that the importance of, and implications from, adopting a Council-wide approach to the management of local air quality, including the creation of an informal advisory group by the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health, be noted.