Agenda item

To receive an update on the Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative.

The Environmental Health Manager – Protection provided a verbal report on the Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative.

·       Diffusion tube monitoring stations have been extended to cover all the schools within the district

·       The Air Quality Management Area existed due to previous failure to meet air quality objectives. They have improved and have not exceeded objective levels in the last four years, although complacency was not encouraged

·       New regulations were anticipated in the autumn

·       A successful application to the DEFRA Air Quality grant was split into two lots, linked to Air Quality Action Plans and open to all English local authorities with projects linked to improving public awareness and dealing with particulate matter

·       A grant of £517k was granted to provide a holistic approach to improve air quality in Saffron Walden as a small market town. The trial measures initiative would aim to reduce particulate matter and NO2 and emissions to improve air quality and focus on behaviour change and develop air quality interventions that could be implemented elsewhere

·       The Saffron Walden Clean Air Initiative (SWCAI) menu included:

i.                 Awareness, education and behaviour change

School engagement and education - £27k

Wood burning particulate matter monitoring and engagement - £45k

Business engagement - £28k

Town wide air pollution awareness and behaviour change - £53k

ii.                Clean air pilot schemes

Zero emissions delivery service - £50k

Try before you buy bike scheme - £37k

E-cargo bike community hire scheme - £15k

Electric vehicle car club - £41k

E-bike hire scheme - £64k

Market Square pedestrianisation - £15k

iii.              Traffic management scheme

Saffron Walden Traffic Management Strategy - £30k + £40k S106

Town Centre Parking and Servicing Strategy - £28k

HGV Access and Routing Strategy - £15k

iv.              Enhanced monitoring

·       Funding for monitoring had not been successful, but there was £10k available for monitoring, particularly for particulate matter

·       DEFRA approval was required to change any of the objectives

·       A Project Manager was required

·       Resources would be pooled with Climate Change to maximise the opportunities for change

·       Governance was proposed to be via ECCWG with core milestones reported to the Council`s Joint Executive Team and Full Council

·       Reporting requirements included quarterly progress reports and a final evaluation report upon completion

Councillor Light thanked The Environmental Health Manager for Protection for his work on the Air Quality Initiative.

Councillor Light left the meeting.

The Chair thanked the Environmental Health Manager for Protection for securing the funding and congratulated them on the achievement. They asked when the roles would be advertised and the Environmental Health Manager for Protection confirmed that the roles would be advertised imminently.

The Chair requested that Members put forward funding objectives for consideration. In response to a question from Councillor Driscoll the Chair confirmed that she communicated monthly with parishes, suggesting grant schemes and areas for climate reduction and decarbonisation. She noted that Essex County Council have £20k available in grant funding to establish grass roots level engagement

Councillor Driscoll said that many Parish Councils did not own buildings or land and so could not participate.

Councillor Caton said that voluntary organisations should also be considered, not just Parish Councils.

The Chair said that she hoped to launch the new website once the new Climate Officer commenced work, and that they would offer new solutions and ideas to promote the biodiversity agenda.