Issue - meetings

Air Quality Strategy

Meeting: 13/03/2025 - Cabinet (Item 9)

9 Air Quality Strategy pdf icon PDF 254 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

1.       That the adoption of the proposed Air Quality Strategy 2025 – 2030 be approved as set out in Appendix 1 of report CAB3461.

 

2.       That the Corporate Head of Service – Regulatory, be given delegated powers to make minor amendments to the Air Quality Strategy 2025 – 2030 as necessary. 

Minutes:

 

Councillor Porter introduced the report which set out the background to the proposed adoption of the strategy and delivery plans over the next five years.

 

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Lee and Bolton addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

 

Councillor Bolton

Councillor Bolton welcomed his involvement as a member of the Air Quality Steering Group.  He expressed the need for some caution regarding actions where there was a lack of data and the importance of being proportionate in actions proposed.  For example, any limitations on wood burning for heating homes (particularly in the rural areas) should be carefully considered and any actions should be primarily focussed on improving education in this area.

 

Councillor Lee

Councillor Lee welcomed the new strategy and the consultation undertaken to date.  He emphasised the importance of expanding the data available through monitoring and suggested investigating a mobile monitoring option. He also suggested adopting a free air alert service designed to notify vulnerable individuals of elevated air pollution levels.  He also mentioned the benefits of improving air quality on minimising the impact of greenhouse gas emissions and the possibility of expanding the strategy to recognise the impact of pollution on nature more widely.

 

Councillor Porter and the Service Lead – Public Protection responded to the comments and questions raised including confirming that the strategy would require actions for delivery as appropriate and these would be the subject of future Cabinet approval.

 

In response to Cabinet Member questions, the Service Lead advised that the council was a member of the Clean Air South partnership group with the University of Southampton as part of an effort to influence pollution arising from wider regional sources outside of the district boundaries. 

 

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out in the report and outlined above.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.       That the adoption of the proposed Air Quality Strategy 2025 – 2030 be approved as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

 

2.       That the Corporate Head of Service – Regulatory, be given delegated powers to make minor amendments to the Air Quality Strategy 2025 – 2030 as necessary. 

 


 

ems at meetings - Air Quality Strategy{sidenav}{content}