Issue - meetings

To consider the Air Quality Action Plan.

Councillor Barker thanked the Scrutiny Committee for its work on the project. Councillor Dean said the concerns the committee had had the previous year had been addressed.

Councillor Barker gave a summary of the report. She said the team had been working on some of the priority measures in the report.

In response to a question from Councillor Light regarding how the action plan would tie in with planning decisions and the proposed local plan, Councillor Barker said any planning application needed to be considered on its own merits, although she appreciated there was always a cumulative effect of traffic in any town or village.  The Director – Public Services said the proposed local plan had looked at the implications of an increase in traffic flow. Sometimes development would not be appropriate without congestion mitigation.

In response to a suggestion that the cycle path between Saffron Walden and Audley End might be dangerous, members said it was not appropriate at this meeting to speculate about this.

In response to a question from Councillor Redfern, the Director – Public Services said there had been a reduction of business floor space at the old Coronation Works.

In response to a question from Councillor Redfern, Councillor Barker said travel plans were put in place when new schools were opened or existing schools expanded, although she was unaware of whether there was a team monitoring it at Essex County Council. She would look into it further.

In response to a question from Councillor Light regarding how the number of people travelling by car to work would be measured, Councillor Barker said it would be subject to monitoring and annual review.

The Chairman said it was important to note that there were 22 action points which would contribute to the plan. The work proposed by the plan was ongoing. Saffron Walden was the centre of much of the problem. There was now a clear route through Peaslands, Mount Pleasant Road, but there were other hotspots to look closely at. There was a pot of money available to mitigate these issues. He would arrange another meeting of the Saffron Walden Highways Group to discuss the hotspot areas further.

RESOLVED to approve the Air Quality Action Plan as a working document over the 5 year life of the plan.