Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Neighbourhoods, Environmental Health and Assets attached.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That the:

1. proposed extent of the new Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be agreed.

2. new Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be formally declared to DEFRA.

3. development of a revised Action Plan for Air Quality be delegated to the Director of Neighbourhoods, Environmental Health and Assets.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Neighbourhoods, Environmental Health and Assets which identified that air quality levels along Turpin Green Lane and Golden Hill Lane were exceeding or very close to exceeding the national objective level.

During the debate, the Cabinet noted that although the levels of Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) were checked but the view was that these would need to be monitored on a regular basis within the action plan. It was important to working closely with the County Council in respect of traffic management in an endeavour to come up with solutions to alleviate the problems.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That the:

1.    proposed extent of the new Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be agreed;

2.    new Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be formally declared to DEFRA; and

3.    development of a revised Action Plan for Air Quality be delegated to the Director of Neighbourhoods, Environmental Health and Assets.

Reasons for Decision:

The Council had a statutory duty to monitor and report on air quality within the borough. Where the objective levels for certain pollutants were exceeded the Council had a duty to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), and then produce an Action Plan with the aid of partners (County Council, Public Health professionals etc.) to undertake measures to try and improve the air quality in the area to below national objective values (40?g/m3 for Nitrogen Dioxide).

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: 

Other options were considered, however the proposed AQMA was considered the most appropriate as it covered the main transport routes through the town which had been identified as exceeding the national objective value, and was considered suitable and appropriate given the current available information.