Agenda item

To receive the report of the Strategic Director for Operations which can be found within the Executive Agenda pack from page 61:

(Public Pack)Agenda Document for Executive, 04/11/2025 17:30

The Chair invited Public Health and Councillor Rees, as proposer of the item to the table and explained that there was also a recommendation from the Executive.

Councillor Rees, under Standing Order No. 45, presented her Scrutiny Proforma and in doing so, made the following points:

• that this had been submitted in May 2024 prior to the previous Air Quality Action Plan coming to an end with the intention of evaluation before a new one was written;
• there was consensus that many targets were difficult to evaluate as they were not SMART therefore successes could not be celebrated or areas for improvement seen;
• the decision from Executive to have a wider strategy document with clear information for the public and also detailing aspirations;
• the Air Quality Action Plan had a specific remit and a wider strategy would provide a holistic picture of the ambitions for the city; and
• it was great to see Public Health represented.

The Strategic Director for Operations presented the report making the following points:

• the status report had been reviewed for twelve years;
• the annual status report had to be presented on a Government issued template which the council couldn’t change.
• data from 2024 had been surprising as it had not been expected that East Wonford Hill would fall below the exceedance level set by the government;
• this was a positive situation but there was still work to do to improve air quality further;
• officers were now seeking to go on a different journey and were present at the meeting to hear from and to listen to members of the scrutiny committee;
• The Air Quality Action Plan was now required to be reviewed;
• this was highly specialist work which couldn’t be resourced in-house due to the current vacancy; and
• in drawing the strategy together there would likely be workshops and other opportunities for member to engage.

The Public Health Specialist gave evidence making the following points:

• the Director of Public Health must see and sign off the air quality status reports;
• public health were keen to work with officers and members to look at how this could be better coordinated across the wider Devon area;
• Exeter was influenced by being one of the biggest commuting-in areas in the country;
• there was a desire to streamline the process by becoming involved earlier and looking more strategically across the area, including looking to have one data-set;
• once areas had moved beyond Air Quality Management Areas they were looking to address how authorities could work as a system; and
• looking across the whole region included Europe as everyone must be mindful of large forest fires having a wider-ranging impact on air quality.

The Strategic Director for Operations, Head of Service – Environment and Waste and Public Health Specialist responded to Members’ questions in the following terms:

• the Executive had decided not to consult on reviewing the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), as the AQMA would be short-lived;
• there was a legal requirement to look at the Air Quality Action Plan and comments about SMART objectives would be taken on board;
• there was a desire to have a strategy which would contain resourcing and costs to achieve the actions required;
• the government may decide to review current air quality targets, but no announcements had been made to date;
• the timescale for drafting the strategy would be as soon as was feasibly  possible and feedback would be given but it was important to note that external resource would be needed and a procurement exercise would be required;
• views of those in the current area at East Wonford Hill that had not been below the government objective were important to the action plan.
• Local Transport Plan 4 had just been released and air quality was mentioned in it and a health impact assessment had been undertaken;
• there was a legal duty on Exeter City Council duty to measure nitrogen dioxide;
• air quality had no boundaries but there were certain controls which could be put in place both locally and nationally;
• locally there were statutory bodies who could take action but individual responsibility played a big part;
• cycling in Exeter was increasing;
• electric buses were due to come into service imminently;
• the duty to measure would continue and there was no plan to reduce the current monitoring network. The kit at the RAMM and Alphington corridor showed Exeter City Council’s commitment to measuring air quality;
• transport was a major contributor to air quality  as well as domestic heating;
• nitrogen dioxide was reduced through the introduction of electric vehicles, however, particulates would remain through wear and tear of tyres and brakes;
• cars becoming bigger and heavier means increased weight and therefore greater wear and tear on the road;
• the transport plan stated that it was desirable to use alternative modes of transport with the wish to give choice rather than remove options;
• hydrogen was likely to be dismissed nationally as a realistic solution as it produced nitrous oxide;
• there would be a natural drop-off of gas boilers with the installation of more air-source heat pumps;
• The Council’s Housing Team oversaw damp and mould in both their own housing properties as well as the Private Sector. They were responsible for the Council’s web content with respect to Awaab’s Law. Work had been done ahead of introduction and implementation of the law, ensuring contractors working for housing delivered to appropriate timescales;
• improvements in technology would also bring improvements through the reduction of gas cookers in homes which were harmful;
• wood burners had an impact on the external environment but also internal as pollutants were brought directly into the home;
• there was information regarding air quality in deprived areas and it was known that there was often traffic in poorer neighbourhoods and residents were more susceptible to chronic health conditions. Hospital episodes were being looked at and modelling carried out replicating a Liverpool and London study;
• the relationship between internal and external air quality was not as straightforward in Devon as it was in London;
• Exeter’s Passivhaus and other initiatives were being held up as examples of good practice;
• wood burners were permitted within a controlled area if they met the DEFRA standard and were burning the correct DEFRA approved fuel. At the point of purchase advice should be given and this would be a trading standards issue otherwise.
• There was legislation regarding Idling vehicles which was an offence not to comply with an officer’s request to switch off, but would require enforcement resource;
• the action plan had included items which were out with the city council control and were that of the transport and highway’s authority and engagement would be required to meet the actions and since the Public Health Specialist had been in post productive discussion had taken place;
• electric buses were reliant on funding external to Devon County Council and other areas with worse air quality had been more successful in attracting funding in the past;
• all work would look at transition with regard to local government reorganisation;
• cumulative impact came under planning law and it was difficult to demonstrate in planning term but public health and planning worked closely together and could be strengthened;
• permits were issued by the Environment Agency and local authorities depending upon the nature of the business being regulated; and
• a national consultation on permits had recently closed and the questions were wide-ranging which government were looking at, with a report expected in the new year.

During discussion Members’ noted that:

• it would be useful to map other policies in existence, such as, Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and the local transport plan as these all had targets which already existed and could be updated;
• realistic targets should be set which may not only be exceedance of legal limits;
• it would be good to see a return of a car club initiative and enforcement where there was poor practice from developers;
• there could be an opportunity for procurement across Devon which would be to Exeter’s advantage as some housing developments were on the edges of the city but out with Exeter City Council boundary;
• internal air quality should be included and advice could be given to residents on how to manage this within their home;
• trees and green infrastructure should be included;
• consideration of a rapid health impact assessment (Rapid Health Impact Assessment for Local Transport Plan 4.pdf);
• Lower layer Super Output Areas(LSOAs) and areas of multiple deprivation should be considered within the strategy as some areas had deteriorated  and now had two indicators including health outcomes;
• it was important to draw on best practices from other places and York and Winchester were examples which had links to other policies to ensure clarity of the whole air quality picture within an areas and the information was easy to read and understand;
• would a joint strategy with Devon County Council be possible;
• could measures of education and enforcement be clearly stated in the strategy including the costs;
• London had Breathe Cities – request to look at how to involve communities, for example in monitoring, identifying idling hotspots and children designing posters;
• that there was discussion with Planning to identify how developers could be encouraged to think about minimising air pollutions at all stages of their building work;
• that single emitters be considered as each was treated separately and not included in wider data;
• it would be good to have more smokeless zones in the city, giving more coverage as well as a review, based on transparent principles, of where the NO2 monitors were. This could include looking at secondary roads which carried regular peak hour flow;
• which polluting chemicals would be considered in the strategy and which wouldn’t as a councillor had recently learned about Butedine;
• plans should include all housing stock and be based on Energy Performance Certificate (EPC);
• on development sites dampening work could be undertaken before work began;
• some displacement of traffic may have lead to increased traffic in areas of deprivation.

The Portfolio Holder for City Management responded to Members’ questions in the following terms:

• there was a particular type of birch tree which was not good for air quality and the Parks and Green Spaces Team would give advice to the Planning department in order not to aggravate people’s breathing issues;
• the original recommendation to the Executive was to focus on the East Wonford Hill area but that gave the wrong message, that there was no need to worry about the rest of the city;
• monitoring of the 85 sites would continue;
• there were interim World Health Organisation(WHO) targets; and
• her priority was to consider the city as a whole.

The Chair requested that a report be brought back to the Strategic Scrutiny Committee in June 2026 and that particulates be included as well as nitrous oxide.

The Chair proposed, seconded by Councillor Kevin Mitchell that the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee note that officers note their comments and request clarification on the timetable of the Air Quality Management Area and Action Plan, balancing the need to make progress with space to have further workshops and hear back within six months.

Following a unanimous vote the motion was CARRIED.