Agenda item

Local authorities are expected to take proactive action to improve air quality. For Arun, which does not have any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA), this means developing an Air Quality Strategy setting out the actions that will be taken to improve air quality in our area.

This report seeks adoption of an Air Quality Strategy for Arun.

[20 Minutes]

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Environmental Health Team Manager introduced the report, which concerned adoption of an Air Quality Strategy for Arun. Air pollution was associated with a number of adverse health impacts and was recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally, air pollution particularly affected the most vulnerable in society. The Government had recently published their revised Air Quality Strategy (2023) and had revised the local air quality management framework which Arun followed, which now placed a new requirement on Local Authorities without air quality management areas to produce an air quality strategy, setting out the action that they would take to improve air quality in their area. Air quality monitoring carried out by the Council continued to indicate that there was good air quality within the District and the air quality objectives for Nitrogen Dioxide were being met. This was carried out through a system of 26 Nitrogen Dioxide monitoring tubes.

This first Air Quality Strategy set out the steps that were already being taken to help improve air quality, as part of the Sussex Air Quality Partnership and specifically within Arun, and the proposed priority areas. The air quality work was in relation to public health management and not directly to do with sustainability, although there were direct links as set out in part 14 of the report. The priority areas for focus within Arun included continuing with existing workstreams such as the NO2 monitoring programme, amendments to the taxi licensing policy and our work as part of Sussex Air, which could be met within existing resources. Initial work to determine the feasibility of smoke control areas, investigate use of fixed penalty notice powers relating to idling vehicles, and evaluating options for proactive dust monitoring of large construction sites, would also be carried out utilising existing capacity within the Environmental Health Service. However, the ability to take some of these items forward, for example should it be determined appropriate to introduce a smoke control area or a programme of proactive dust monitoring, may be contingent on identifying additional capacity or resources, such as may be available through Defra grants, or revenues received from fixed penalty notice receipts.

          Members (and a non-Committee Member given permission to speak) then took part in a question-and-answer session and the following points were made:

• It was asked what progress had been made across Arun regarding installation of on-street electrical charge points. The Group Head of Technical Services explained electric vehicle charge points were being rolled out across the County. There had been some lessons learnt from phase one roll-out where six charge points were being installed at every location, there was now a different approach involving earlier consultation with stakeholders. The intention was now to install two electric charge points at most locations, ensuring the infrastructure was there, and more could be installed as required.
• Clarification was sought on the impact of taxis. The  Environmental Health Team Manager explained they were looking at revision of the taxi licence policy to look at introducing emission standards for taxi vehicles, and a report was going to Licensing Committee in December in relation to that matter.
• It was asked whether buses would be monitored, in particular the measuring of particulates. The Environmental Health Team Manager explained the impact of busses would not be monitored directly. Any additional measures would need separate funding, however every year as part of the Sussex Air Quality Partnership there were opportunities to apply for funding through Defra, so this was something that could be looked at in the future.
• It was asked whether there were sufficient number of electric charge points at Harwood Road and Arun Civic Centre. The Group Head of Technical Services was confident there were sufficient numbers for Arun’s modest fleet of electric vehicles.
• It was asked that the Group Head of Technical Services noted that electric vehicle charge points needed to be accessible.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Madeley and seconded by Councillor Bower.

          The Committee

RESOLVED that

1.      The Air Quality Strategy be adopted.

2.      Authority be given to the Group Head of Technical Services to make minor and administrative amendments to the Strategy.