Agenda item - Air Quality Action Plan

Report of the Director of Public Health (copy attached).

1)            That the Committee agrees the 2015 AQAP and recommendations for reducing nitrogen dioxide levels across the City as set out in Appendix 1

2)            That the Committee agree that every major council strategy including Transport, Planning and Tourism has due regard to the Air Quality Action Plan and every decision concerning Development Control and Transport Projects also has regard to the Air Quality Action Plan, and the appropriate air quality assessments undertaken.

3)            The Director of Public Health be given delegated authority to amend the Air Quality Action Plan to include measures introduced by the National Air Quality Action Plan, currently in draft format and going through consultation.

34.1      The Committee considered a report of the Acting Executive Director Environment, Development & Housing that sought approval of the 2015 Air Quality Action Plan that the local authority had a statutory duty to produce under the provisions of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995.

34.2      Councillor Janio asked why reference to the particulate matter had been removed from the report compared to previous editions and if this was due to focus on nitrogen derivatives.

34.3      The Technical Officer clarified that there was a focus on nitrogen dioxide as this reflected the priority set out the Air Quality Management Area that was the basis of the Action Plan.

34.4      Councillor West that air quality was a serious matter and he was very concerned to read that particulates contributed to 5% of annual mortality rates in the city and NO2 6%. Councillor West stated that at both local and national level, air quality targets were not being met and that could lead to fines imposed by the EU. Councillor West added that initiatives had been undertaken in Lewes Road and North Street and with a Low Emission Zone (LEZ).  On the basis on the report before the Committee, Councillor West stated his view that the LEZ now to be extended in distance and include a greater scope of vehicles.

34.5      Councillor Barradell stated that the city needed solutions on how behavioural changes could be made to improve sustainable travel rates particularly for the more economically disadvantaged in the city unable to benefit from the savings in paying upfront for an annual or seasonal pass.

34.6      Councillor Miller stated that he had found the report very informative and would encourage as much time and effort to be placed into Rottingdean High Street which currently had some of the highest levels of air pollution in the city.

34.7      RESOLVED-

1)        That the Committee agrees the 2015 AQAP and recommendations for reducing nitrogen dioxide levels across the City as set out in Appendix 1

2)        That the Committee agree that every major council strategy including Transport, Planning and Tourism has due regard to the Air Quality Action Plan and every decision concerning Development Control and Transport Projects also has regard to the Air Quality Action Plan, and the appropriate air quality assessments undertaken.

3)        The Director of Public Health be given delegated authority to amend the Air Quality Action Plan to include measures introduced by the National Air Quality Action Plan, currently in draft format and going through consultation.