Agenda item

To seek approval of the draft updated Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) February 2023 and draft Clean Air Strategy for Waverley (CAS) February 2023, prior to submitting the AQAP to Defra for approval.

Recommendation

The Executive recommend that Council adopt the draft updated AQAP February 2023 and draft CAS February 2023, which align with the Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy (CCSS), the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan (CNAP) and the work underway on the Farnham Infrastructure Plan (FIP).

101.1   The Leader moved the recommendation to adopt the updated Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) and Clean Air Strategy (CAS), which was duly seconded by Cllr Peter Clark.

101.2   Cllr Steve Williams, Portfolio Holder for Environment & Sustainability, introduced the report and AQAP and CAS, outlining the lengthy process that had been followed by officers working with consultants and councillors on the Air Quality Steering Group and Overview and Scrutiny Committee. He was happy that the AQAP went as far as was possible given that highways matters were the main barrier to improving air quality in the borough, and that was a Surrey County Council responsibility. Cllr Williams noted that the AQAP specifically addressed air quality issues in the designated Air Quality Management Areas. The Executive considered that the statutory requirements for AQAPs were insufficient to address air quality issues across the borough and a Clean Air Strategy for the whole borough was needed that recognised the greater public concern about the public health impacts of poor air quality. Cllr Williams was pleased to commend both the AQAP and CAS to Council for adoption.

101.3   Cllr Seaborne expressed disappointment that the AQAP and CAS had been presented as a package rather than as separate documents. The AQAP was a statutory requirement, and he was happy to support its adoption. The CAS was discretionary and the format had been chosen by officers, and it contained a list of actions without costings, quantified indicative benefits, or prioritisation to direct resources. Whilst the objectives were laudable, the strategy didn’t point towards a more detailed plan of actions. Cllr Seaborne was prepared to support the recommendation to adopt the AQAP and CAS, but he felt the CAS could have been a much better document.

101.4   Cllr Neale appreciated the amount of work that had gone into the AQAP but had concerns that responsibility for actions effectively were being passed to Surrey County Council to deliver via the Farnham Infrastructure Plan, and he did not have the sense that the county council recognised the urgency of taking action.

101.5   Cllr Hyman reminded Members that the Council had a statutory duty to prepare an AQAP and that must have specific measures to reduce exceedances. In his view the AQAP was a plan to have a plan in 6 months when the final plans emerging from the Farnham Infrastructure Plan had been agreed by Surrey County Council. Currently, there were no specific proposals and no specific funding identified for the Farnham Infrastructure Plan. By agreeing the AQAP as proposed, Waverley was giving up its power to agree the actions within the AQAP that would reduce the air quality exceedances in Farnham.

101.6   Cllr Hyman proposed an amendment to the recommendation to ensure that proposals from the Farnham Infrastructure Plan had to be approved by Waverley Borough Council so that the Council retained responsibility for the AQAP. Cllr Hyman proposed amending the recommendation by adding the words: “…subject to the Highways Authority’s awaited particular measures for Farnham Town Centre being brought before this Council for approval.”

101.7   The amendment was seconded by Cllr George Hesse.

101.8   Speaking to the amendment the Leader pointed out that Waverley had no power to approve or not approve Surrey County Council’s proposals for the Farnham Infrastructure Plan. Waverley had commissioned an air quality consultant to ensure that Waverley’s AQAP was valid document, and he did not think that Waverley had the power to do what Cllr Hyman’s amendment proposed.

101.9   Cllr Hyman reiterated his point that Waverley had a right to know what was in the AQAP before it was approved and had the power to ensure that Surrey County Council brought forward measures that would address the requirements of the AQAP, which were set out in the Environment Act. Residents had the right to be consulted on the AQAP and by approving it without knowing what was in the Farnham Infrastructure Plan Waverley was removing that right from residents.

101.10Cllr Williams noted that the AQAP had been consulted on widely, including public consultation. It had been professionally produced and was now ready to go forward to DEFRA who would determine whether it met legal requirements. Cllr Hyman had been saying for many years that they AQAP needed to be updated, but now was seeking to delay it further.

101.11In summing up Cllr Hyman reiterated that currently the AQAP for Farnham wouldn’t be available for 6 months, therefore it could not have been consulted on as it didn’t exist. In his view DEFRA had been allowing councils to produce AQAPs that did not meet legal requirements, and Waverley should act responsibly and follow the requirements of the law.

101.12The Leader advised Council that Waverley’s involvement in the Farnham Board and the Farnham Infrastructure Plan had given the Council more input and influence than ever before over emerging plans, but the separation of powers between county and borough councils meant that Waverley had no statutory powers over highways.

101.13The Mayor put Cllr Hyman’s amendment to the vote, and the amendment was lost with 2 votes in favour, 35 votes against, and 3 abstentions.

101.14The Mayor directed Members to comment on the original recommendation, to adopt the AQAP and CAS. Cllr Munro advised that he was the council’s representative on the Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee and was disappointed that there was not more emphasis in the Clean Air Strategy on aviation air quality and noise pollution impacts. He asked that the next council administration take a stronger approach on addressing these. Cllr Spence echoed these comments, and Cllr Williams agreed that this was an area that he would be happy to follow-up on if he was part of the next administration. The CAS was not perfect, but it was the first that Waverley had developed and he urged Members to support it as well as press for further improvements.

101.15The Mayor put the recommendation to the vote, which was agreed, with Cllr Hyman asking for his vote against to be recorded. Council therefore,

RESOLVED that the draft updated AQAP (February 2023) and the draft CAS (February 2023), which aligned with the Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy, the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan, and the work underway on the Farnham Infrastructure Plan, be approved.