Issue - meetings

Air Quality Annual Status Report 2022

Meeting: 06/09/2022 - Executive (Item 87)

87 Air Quality Annual Status Report pdf icon PDF 353 KB

To consider the report of the Director Net Zero Exeter & City Management.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Agreed:

 

RECOMMENDED that Council note the statutory annual status report.

 

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Executive received the report on the statutory Air Quality Annual Status, which contained monitoring data from 2021 and the summary of the actions taken in that year to improve local air quality. The Council had a statutory duty to monitor and report on air quality and had submitted the report to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

 

Particular reference was made to the five high points raised in the DEFRA appraisal letter, included with the agenda, which highlighted the high standard and accuracy of work undertaken. The Service Lead - Environmental Health & Community Safety expressed his thanks to the staff involved in writing the report.

 

Councillor D. Moore, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item. She welcomed the report and highlighted the importance of seeing the status of air quality in the city. She enquired on the evidence for the actions for improving air quality and had concerns that air pollution was rising. She further enquired if the Portfolio Holder would be minded to send the report to Devon County Council and ask for their response to the report and comment on what actions they were undertaking to improve the city’s air quality.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Change commented that it was a statutory report produced to a specific standard. The Council’s role was to measure and report on air quality, but worked with various partners on measures to improve the air quality, whilst being mindful of the Council’s resources. The report presented was for noting but the Council would be engaging with Devon County Council on means to improve air quality measures.

 

The Service Lead - Environmental Health & Community Safety explained that the report had been shared with the Director of Public Health at Devon County Council, who had commented on the findings. He also highlighted that the Air Quality Action Plan required an update due to the figures for 2020 being discounted and 49 of the 50 locations within the air quality management area were below the legal objective.

 

Members welcomed the report and expressed thanks to the team for an informative and well-presented report.

 

RECOMMENDED that Council note the statutory annual status report.