Agenda item

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability submitted a report that updated Members on the following issues in respect of air quality in East Herts:

·               the latest air quality figures for the three Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) in East Hertfordshire

·               progress on producing the new Air Quality Action Plan to submit to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

·               progress on the council’s DEFRA-funded active travel project that started in April 2023.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability talked about the progress on the active travel project and improvements in air quality during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that air quality had begun to deteriorate as vehicle traffic volumes had steadily increased.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that cars were producing fewer emissions but there were a lot more cars on the road. He said that tackling air quality was a shared problem that required shared solutions. There was a general discussion and debate in respect of Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).  Councillor Buckmaster explained that monitoring was a role for public health and that Hertfordshire County Council had a substantial report coming out soon.

Councillor Horner commented on the importance of behaviour change and Local Cycling, Walking and Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP). Following a question from Councillor McAndrew, the Head of Housing and Health provided an update in respect of the latest work of the breathe easy group. He was concerned about the information contained in the appendices.

Councillor McAndrew commented that there was an expectation that Members would be considering at this meeting an Air Quality Action Plan but that instead Members were being presented with a scoping document and he was disappointed with this considering the work which had already been done on this including a declaration of a climate emergency. He explained the need for Officers to develop the document to carry out the work, of the need for resources and manpower to carry out the functions given in the climate change emergency. 

Councillor McAndrew sought assurances that the council had engaged with businesses, people working and cycling. 

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability responded to the points made by Councillor McAndrew.   He explained what consultations had been carried out and were in the pipeline and referred in particular to some of the more complex issues. He commented on the timescale for public consultation and the scoping document.

The Head of Housing and Health explained that what was before Members was not the final document and that more work was needed with the results being reported to Executive in October.

Councillor Nicholls proposed and Councillor Redfern seconded, a motion that the Air Quality Management Area data in respect of pollution increases be acknowledged and a further report be submitted to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2024. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that that the Air Quality Management Area data in respect of pollution increases be acknowledged and a further report be submitted to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2024 for due consideration.