The Portfolio Holder for Cleaner & Greener presented the report that demonstrated a trend of improvement of Air Quality in Sevenoaks District and as a result the council could now consider revoking up to 5 of the 9 existing Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA).

The Acting Environmental Health Manager advised that whilst the improvements were encouraging, it was recognised that there was no safe exposure level to pollution, and so would continue to identify and implement measure to reduce pollution in the remaining AQMA. A new Air Quality Action Plan was being developed, and it would provide a commitment to undertaking measures and actions to improve air quality within the designated AQMA.

Members asked questions of clarification and agreed that a Working Group of up to 20 Members and Officers should be constituted, with a quorum of 10.  The purpose of the group would be to develop a shortlist of workable measures to be tested (scenario testing) to quantify their impact upon Air Quality within the AQMA, to explore possible measures which could be included in the Action Plan and to report to the next Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That

a)    officers request to DEFRA for the revocation of the M20 AQMA on the basis of the assessment undertaken by BV, be agreed;

b)   officers request to DEFRA for the revocation of the M25 AQMA (PM10) on the basis of the assessment undertaken by BV, be agreed;

c)    subject to additional monitoring demonstrating that NO2 levels do not exceed objective levels at the roundabout at London Road, Westerham and residential properties along the A224 and B221 near to the M25, officers request to DEFRA for the revocation of the M25 AQMA (NO2), be agreed;

d)   subject to additional monitoring demonstrating that NO2 levels do not exceed objective levels at receptors along the A224 London Road flyover, officers request to DEFRA for the revocation of M26 AQMA, be agreed;

e)   subject to additional monitoring demonstrating that NO2 levels do not exceed objective levels as residential properties at Phillip Avenues / Ladds Way / Cyclamen Road, Swanley, officers request to DEFRA for the revocation of the A20 AQMA, be agreed;

f)    following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Cleaner & Greener, the Deputy Chief Executive & Chief Officer of Planning & Regulatory Services’ constitution of a Working Group of up to 20 Members and Officers (with a quorum of 10) to develop a shortlist of workable measures to be tested (scenario testing) to quantify their impact upon Air Quality within the AQMA, explore possible measures which could be included in the Action Plan and report to the next Cleaner & Greener Advisory Committee, be authorised; and

g)    the District Council’s withdrawal from the ‘Air Alert’ scheme as provided by Sussex Air and Imperial College and alternate and comparable ‘Air Alert’ information be made available on the Council’s website, be agreed.