Agenda item

The Cabinet considered recommendations made by the Scrutiny Steering Board based on the report of the Task Group set up to scrutinise issues relating to Air Quality. The Leader acknowledged the detailed work undertaken by the Task Group together with the excellent quality of the final report. He thanked the Chairman of the Task Group for its efforts in undertaking the exercise. The Chairman of the Task Group referred to the thorough exercise which had been undertaken, and highlighted the consultation which had taken place with a variety of individuals and agencies as part of the scrutiny process. Following detailed discussion, it was

RESOLVED:

(a)       that recommendation 1 relating to a request to the County Council for the introduction of Low Emission Zones (LEZ) to cover certain roads in the District be deferred until further information is available, following the introduction of such zones in other areas of the Country and the implications for the adjacent road network; 

(b)       that the Council remain committed to improving Bromsgrove Railway Station including the Park and Ride facility;

(c)        that it be noted that whilst the Cabinet is minded to support the future recommendations of the Public Transport – Buses Scrutiny Task Group which relate to the improvement of local bus services, full consideration will need to be given on receipt of the recommendations and this will be subject to any financial implications;

(d)       that a request be made to the appropriate authority to alter the traffic signals on the A38 North into Bromsgrove (including the possibility of part-time signals) to reduce exit blocking and improve traffic flow near the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and that the area be monitored by the Environmental Health Team and the appropriate external agencies before and after the alterations;

(e)       that the Environmental Health Team be requested to monitor the AQMA before and after the amendment of the yellow box markings on the roundabout at M42 junction 1 at gridlock to investigate whether there has been an reduction in air pollution and that the police be requested to monitor the misuse of the yellow boxes;

(f)         that the Highways Agency be requested to monitor the area of the M42 Westbound to M5 to find out if the scheme involving changes to signage and road markings has been successful in reducing the number of incidents;

(g)       that the Town Centre Redevelopment Steering Group (LSP Theme Group) be requested to consider air pollution caused by traffic congestion when looking at redeveloping the town. This to include considering the possibility of vehicles accessing The Strand from Birmingham Road and investigating, in partnership with the County Council,  whether it may help decrease traffic congestion and therefore lower air pollution at this location;

(h)        that the County Council be requested to review the timing of the traffic signals located at the top end of the High Street near the Strand with a view to reducing the build up of stationary traffic and, that if this is agreed, the County Council and the Environmental Health Team be requested to undertake monitoring of the position before and after the alteration in respect of traffic congestion and air quality respectively;

(i)         that the Head of Planning and Environment be requested to consider the best ways of discouraging development within an AQMA and to produce an air quality guidance note to try to control and mitigate the impact of property development on air quality;

(j)         that there be ongoing communication with local residents who own and/or reside in a property located within an AQMA to ensure they are fully aware of the situation and the County Council be requested to erect a sign in the AQMA (i) informing the public that it is an AQMA and that the District Council is working with other agencies to reduce air pollution in the vicinity; and (ii) posing the question “Is your journey necessary?” to encourage the public to think about their travel habits and the impact on air pollution;

(k)        that the Environmental Health Team be requested to update the Air Quality information on the Council’s website and to ensure it is regularly updated in future;

(l)         that the Environmental Health Team be requested to work in partnership with Worcestershire PCT (and local GP’s surgeries) to ensure they are kept up to date on the areas which have poor air quality to assist with the further investigation of the correlation between poor air quality areas and illnesses such as asthma and that Worcestershire PCT be requested to work closely with GPs to ensure the criteria used for diagnosing and recording data relating to asthma is standardised wherever possible to enable the analysis of data to be more meaningful;

(m)      that the Environmental Health Team be requested to actively discourage bonfires (with the exception of social events on and around 5th November) through promotion, similar to that undertaken by Birmingham City Council including ensuring that members of the public are aware of how to report bonfires which are a nuisance;

(n)        that the Head of Street Scene and Waste Management be requested to further investigate and assess options available (such as the use of bio fuel in refuse and recycling vehicles) which could assist the Council in contributing to improving air quality;

(o)       that the newly established Energy Efficiency Project Group be requested to progress the Council’s Staff Travel Plan as a matter of urgency and to work together with the LSP Better Environment Theme Group;

(p)       that training be offered to all Members and all staff on air quality and other green issues to improve their awareness of the impact their behaviour at home and at work can have on air quality, the training to include the showing of the film “An Inconvenient Truth” at the Council House and that specific training be provided to refuse and recycling crews relating to the parking of refuse vehicles in locations which do not lead to traffic congestion with engines turned off during breaks;         

(q)       that the Licensing Section be requested to remind taxi drivers not to leave their engines running whilst waiting for the next fare at the taxi rank;

(r)        that car parking spaces be reserved for those Council staff who join the County Council Car Sharing Scheme, that the Communications Team ensure that staff are frequently reminded and encouraged to join the Car Sharing Scheme as well as using alternative ways of travelling to work such as walking, cycling or public transport and that the numbers joining the Scheme be monitored; 

(s)        that further investigations be carried out by the Human Resources Section into the possibility of establishing a pool of Council owned environmentally friendly cars for essential and casual car users or a loan/lease scheme to assist and encourage staff to convert their own car to alternative fuel;

(t)         that investigations be undertaken into the revision of the current car allowance pay scales to include the possibility of paying a flat rate for all users regardless of engine size ; and

(u)        that the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development be requested to report to Corporate Management Team on the Development of a Home Working Policy to reduce staff travel between home and workplace.

          (Note: where the Cabinet’s decision differs from the recommendation of the Task Group this is shown in italics)