Agenda item

To provide an overview of the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for awareness and noting.

The Head of Service – Public Protection presented the report. The purpose of the report was to provide an overview of the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for awareness and noting.

The local air quality management regime was introduced by the Environment Act 1995. The Council’s duties under the Environment Act 1995 were to review and assess air quality against National Air Quality Standards.  When a pollutant fails to comply with an objective and there is relevant public exposure, an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) must be declared and an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) prepared, detailing measures which will be implemented to improve air quality in the designated area.

South Kesteven District Council declared an AQMA in 2013 encompassing the main roads in the town centre of Grantham. The main pollutant of concern was Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), which was largely attributable to road transport emissions, with cars being the dominant source within the AQMA.

Councillor Charmaine Morgan submitted the following statement:

‘'When an EIA - Air Quality Assessment was completed to support the Southern Quadrant Development Masterplan it highlighted poor Air Quality existing on a number of roads in Grantham South. In particular, where the A52 meets the routes from Grantham to the A1. 

At the time I requested an extension of the monitoring of air quality by SKDC to include Grantham South but this did not occur. As a result the current measurements exclude the area affected being those roads leading up to and including: 

Gainsborough Corner A52

Springfield Road 

Bridge End Road A52

Somerby Hill A52

South Parade

Spitalgate

I am formerly requesting that the Action Plan for SKDC Air Quality includes extending measurements in Grantham to include these roads and taking mitigating action as appropriate.’

One Member queried the cost of an air monitoring system.

The Head of Service – Public Protection did not have the figures available. The determination of the data from the monitoring was also included within costs.

ACTION: For the Head of Service – Public Protection to provide costs of monitoring and data of an air monitoring system.

One Member noted the promotion on the use of clean and alternative fuels where possible, the Council would work to improve emissions from its own vehicle fleet by increasing the number of greener low emissions vehicles using alternative fuels.

It was queried whether the Council were exploring the types of vehicles used for refuse collection.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste confirmed that as part of the contracts supplied by the Council. It was ensured all fleet vehicles were no older than seven years old to ensure a rolling basis of renewal.

Unfortunately, given the 350 square mile of rural nature of South Kesteven, the technology was currently not available at this stage.

ACTION: For the Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste to provide further information on the fuel mix of the Council’s fleet vehicles.

It was noted that the resurfacing of footpaths in the North of Grantham should be explored, as one Member had experiences complaints from constituents.

That the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

1.    Note the content of the draft Air Quality Action Plan 2024