Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs

Cabinet considered the report of the Mid-Kent Environmental Health Manager and the above Cabinet Member which set out the outcomes of additional modelling work and the draft Air Quality Management Action Plan (AQAP) for public consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Rural Affairs introduced the report and reminded Members that SBC carried out more Air Quality monitoring than any other district in Kent.  He advised that the Air Quality steering group were making good progress and said that many Air Quality issues were out of SBC’s control.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Rural Affairs proposed the recommendations with an amendment to include 2 additional tables in the consultation document which explained how the figures had been reached.

A Member suggested additional wording to clarify that the 0% figure showed pollution levels were under the limit rather than there was no pollution, in the table at the top of page 111 of the report.  Another Member suggested including reference to the influence that the M2 motorway had on the levels of pollution on the A2.

A Member welcomed the report and how it could be considered in planning applications.  He said that with additional development and major roadworks planned in the future in or near the area, it was unlikely that the Newington AQMA would be compliant in 2020 as stated on page 111 of the report.  He thanked the steering group.

The Vice-chairman-in-the-chair advised that a Planning Policy Officer sat on the steering group and that a briefing for Members on how Air Quality might affect Planning applications was planned.

 Resolved:

(1)  That the outcomes of the updated traffic modelling work be noted.

(2)  That the draft Air Quality Management Action Plan for public consultation, amended to include 2 additional tables of information, be agreed,  and delegation be authorised to the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environmental and Rural Affairs the final drafting of the document.