Issue - meetings

The report puts forward recommendations from the Community Overview & Scrutiny Committee to reinvigorate Waverley’s work to progress the measures in the Air Quality Action Plan. The recommendations were developed in response to the Committee’s discussion of air quality issues in Waverley, and frustration at the lack of real engagement with partners to develop solutions and improve air quality.

The recommendations propose the establishment of a multi-agency stakeholder Air Quality Steering Group and development of an Air Quality Strategy for Waverley, in line with the latest DEFRA Local Air Quality Management Policy and Technical Guidance.

Recommendation

The Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee therefore recommends to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and the Executive that in order for the Council to proactively and constructively take forward its local Air Quality Management responsibilities:

1.           Waverley Borough Council establishes a multi-agency/stakeholder Air Quality Steering Group to contribute to the development of an Air Quality Strategy for Waverley and a refreshed Air Quality Action Plan, and to progress the measures in the Air Quality Action Plan thereafter.

2.           Membership of the Waverley Air Quality Steering Group to follow the recommendations of LAQM.PG16 in terms of seniority of representation, as set out in paragraph 10, above; and to seek to involve Waverley’s local Members of Parliament.

3.           The Waverley Air Quality Steering Group should include scope to establish working groups that can engage with local stakeholders to monitor progress locally and develop practical solutions to address air quality issues.

4.           The new Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee to critically review the development of a new Waverley Air Quality Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan, informed by the contribution of the Air Quality Steering Group, and in line with the requirements of LAQM.TG16.

5.           Waverley’s Air Quality webpages to be updated and simplified, so that interested parties are able to find relevant information.

6.           The new Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee to include in its rolling work programme the scrutiny of the Council’s annual report to DEFRA (in accordance with whatever reporting regime is in place at the time).

[NB Cllr Jerry Hyman attended the meeting and spoke on this item].

RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee be endorsed:

1.           Waverley Borough Council establishes a multi-agency/stakeholder Air Quality Steering Group to contribute to the development of an Air Quality Strategy for Waverley and a refreshed Air Quality Action Plan, and to progress the measures in the Air Quality Action Plan thereafter;

2.           Membership of the Waverley Air Quality Steering Group to follow the recommendations of LAQM.PG16 in terms of seniority of representation, as set out in paragraph 10, above; and to seek to involve Waverley’s local Members of Parliament;

3.           The Waverley Air Quality Steering Group should include scope to establish working groups that can engage with local stakeholders to monitor progress locally and develop practical solutions to address air quality issues;

4.           The new Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee to critically review the development of a new Waverley Air Quality Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan, informed by the contribution of the Air Quality Steering Group, and in line with the requirements of LAQM.TG16;

5.           Waverley’s Air Quality webpages to be updated and simplified, so that interested parties are able to find relevant information; and

6.           The new Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee to include in its rolling work programme the scrutiny of the Council’s annual report to DEFRA (in accordance with whatever reporting regime is in place at the time).

[Reason: To consider recommendations from the Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee which were developed in response to the Committee’s discussion of air quality issues in Waverley.]