Agenda item

To consider a report from the Chief Executive and the Corporate Director, Place.

Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Flooding presented the report seeking approval of the Air Quality Action Plan.

Agenda Supplement 1 included details of questions submitted for this item, together with responses. There were no supplementary questions.

Cllr Holder, as former Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change explained that the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) has been produced as part of the Council’s statutory duties under the Local Air Quality Management framework. It outlined the actions to improve air quality in Wiltshire from 2024 to 2029.

Cabinet were reminded that where the Council finds areas that do not comply with the Plan, it must declare an Air Quality Management Area and put an Action Plan in place to reduce pollution to compliant levels. Wiltshire Council has eight Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).

It was noted that the existing Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) is out of date and not in a format that meets the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) current model. The Environment Act 1995 (as amended in 2021) requires that Action Plans be periodically reviewed. The draft Action Plan complies with the requirements now enshrined in the Act.

Cllr Graham Wright, Chair of the Climate Emergency Task Group, reported that the Task Group received a briefing on 15 March 2024. He welcomed the new Cabinet Member for Waste & Environment and thanked him for attending the Task Group meeting at short notice. He also thanked both the previous Cabinet Member and Portfolio Holder for their support and wished them all the best in their new roles. The Task Group considered the Action Plan in great depth and received very full responses to questions asked. He further reported the following:

·       The Plan is a good news story in that harmful nitrogen dioxide emission are coming down and hopefully several of the Air Quality Management Areas will be compliant in the coming years. However, much of that fall is due to improvements in vehicle and engine technology rather than more localised actions. The Task Group trusts that even with compliance efforts are re-double to deliver countywide programmes that will improve air quality i.e., an EV charging infrastructure, active travel, and investment in sustainable public transport. A joined-up approach is emerging but improving air quality will mean that planning, transport, and public protection must work closely together.

·       The Task Group raised two of further points:

o   Firstly, that air quality across the board is improved and other pollutants like particulates are consider; and

o   that consultation processes are reviewed as responses from the public were low for a plan that many people would have been interested in understanding.

The Task Group would continue to monitor the plan and ask for an update in 12 months’ time.

Cllr Gordon King, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, thanked the previous Cabinet Member and wished her well for the future and welcomed the new Cabinet Member for Waste & Environment and Cabinet member for Transport and Assets and wished them well in their new roles. Cllr King noted that the subject matter was a large and complicated one with many outside influences. He commented on Table 3.1 of the Plan and asked about the differences between modelled and required road NOx, how nitic dioxide evaporates. Officers explained that for modelling road NOx figures related to the original model figures and the required NOx figures were those expected for compliance. A technical response was provided in relation to the nitric dioxide question indicating that it was another form of Nitrogen which was omitted through car exhausts. Cllr King supported the Action Plan requirements and indicated that a whole Council response was required making better use of community networks.

Cllr Brian Mathew welcomed the report and Action Plan and asked about the collaborative work with a university, as this wasn’t specifically identified in the report. He also asked about the timelines for reopening the High Street in Calne. Cllr Holder reported that Birmingham University was the lead university with 12 other universities involved. The Leader explained that he was not aware of the deadlines for reopening the High Street in Calne and referred Cllr Mathew to the Traffic Regulation Order for this information.

Resolved:

To adopt the Air Quality Action Plan.

Reason for decision:

To meet the legal requirements of the Environment Act 1995 (as amended in 2012).