Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Neighbourhoods and Development attached.

RESOLVED Unanimously:

That Cabinet agree the adoption of the revised Air Quality Action Plan.

The Director of Neighbourhoods and Development presented a report that sought approval and adoption of the Council’s revised Air Quality Action Plan.

Within the South Ribble borough, five Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) had been declared. The Council has a legal obligation under Part IV of the Environment Act to produce an Air Quality Action Plan following the declaration of an AQMA that will work towards the improvement of air quality within its area to achieve the air quality national objective values.

Members welcome the Plan as the issue of air quality within the Borough was a long standing one that had taken some considerable time to formally identify and urged the Council to act and implement the actions within the Plan as a matter of urgency.

Members of the public were also in attendance to explain that the air quality in the Turpin Green Lane area was now starting to affects residents’ health. They reported that HGV’s are continually using the lane as a short cut to junction 28 of the motorway and that this had been going on for 14 years. The only way to stop this from happening would be to put weight restrictions in place and the Cabinet were requested to put pressure on the Lancashire County Council and the Highways Agency who are the responsible authority’s to get this issue addressed.

The Cabinet Member (Public Health and Safety, Wellbeing and Environmental) lives close by to the area and understands what the residents are going through, stating that the Council were committed to working with the relevant agencies to implement workable solutions to improve air quality issues.

Decision made (Unanimously):

That Cabinet agree the adoption of the revised Air Quality Action Plan.

Reason(s) for decision:

1.    Air Quality represents the largest environmental health risk to the population of the UK and one of the greatest overall health risks, with over 63,000 premature deaths occurring in the UK every year from poor air quality.

2.    Within South Ribble five Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) have been declared following the identification of five particularly poor areas of air quality.

3.    The Council is under legal obligation, Part IV of the Environment Act, to produce an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) following declaration of an AQMA and to work towards the improvement of air quality within its area and achieving the air quality national objective values.

4.    Statutory Guidance issued by DEFRA identifies the need for all partner organisations and political leaders to demonstrate leadership, commitment and take responsibility for actions, especially where measures will have a knock on effect on other policy areas.

5.    The legislation also identifies the need to periodically review the AQAP’s, with the guidance suggesting a maximum of every five years, the last AQAP launched in 2016 became out of date in December 2017 following the declaration of the fifth AQMA in Leyland, and an update was required.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Details of all suggested measures are included within the back of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49