Issue - meetings

The report of the Director – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that the revocation of the Borough’s Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA 1 and 1/2011) be approved.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety, Councillor Inglis presented the report of the Director – Neighbourhoods, to consider the revocation of the Borough’s Air Quality Management Areas AQMA1 and 1/2011.

Councillor Inglis referred to the obligation on all local authorities to regularly review and assess if air quality objectives were likely to be achieved. The Council had assessed levels of the main air pollutants identified by the Government for a number of years, with four Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) identified and adopted by the Borough, including Trent Bridge and A52/Stragglethorpe Road at Radcliffe on Trent, as detailed in Tables 1 and 2 at paragraph 4.3 of the report, as they had traffic related Nitrogen Dioxide levels, which exceeded the Government’s target. The two others areas at Barnstone, and at the Nottingham Knight roundabout had previously been revoked following improvements.

Councillor Inglis advised that automatic continuous analysers were installed at both sites, and the results had been under the target levels for five years and DERFA recommended the removal of AQMAs after three years. It was noted that the Council would continue to monitor air quality with average monthly readings from its 29 other passive sites. Councillor Inglis thanked the Head of Public Protection and the Environmental Health team in conjunction with the County Council and National Highways for their hard work to minimise traffic generated pollution.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Brennan endorsed the continued monitoring of the 29 passive sites and stated that it was great news that the two areas were now under target levels, improving quality of life, which the Council took extremely seriously, and it was hoped that a decrease in particulates would continue.

Councillor J Wheeler welcomed the report, which would reassure residents and welcomed the ongoing monitoring in place.

It was RESOLVED that the revocation of the Borough’s Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA 1 and 1/2011) be approved.