Issue - meetings

At the Guildford Joint Committee meeting of 19 September 2018 a new Parking & Air Quality Working Group was established with the remit to develop an overarching air quality policy/strategy and review individual air quality management / action plans relating to the borough. The report outlines the activity of the working group and seeks approval of recommended outputs.

The Guildford Joint Committee resolved to:

(i)    agree the development of an Air Quality Priorities Plan in place of establishing an overarching policy/strategy;

(ii)  agree the Air Quality Priorities Plan for 2019-20;

(iii)identify any activities from the Air Quality Priorities Plan to be progressed first.

Reasons:

Although the Parking & Air Quality Working Group were requested to develop an overarching air quality policy/strategy, the Group considered that due to the number of existing policy and strategy documents already in place an overarching document would not be of great benefit.  Instead, the Group are proposing an Air Quality Priorities Plan.  Should this be endorsed by the Committee, then itemised activities can be progressed.

Declarations of interest: None

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None

Officers present: Justine Fuller, Regulatory Services Manager, GBC and William Bryans Transport Studies Team Manager, SCC

Member discussion - key points:

Officers explained that although the Air Quality Working Group was requested to develop an overarching air quality policy/strategy, the Group considered that due to the number of existing policy and strategy documents already in place an overarching document would not be of great benefit.  Instead officers had prepared a list of all air quality policies/actions that were being taken by GBC and SCC and the working group were proposing an Air Quality Priorities Plan.

The following points were raised in discussion:

1.      Members commented that a lot was being done in surrey to improve air quality and that the action plan should be a comprehensive document working together with Surrey and the 11 borough and districts. 

2.      The view was expressed that this was a really comprehensive action plan and the action to promote the installation of an electric charging vehicle charging network was supported.

3.      It was commented that this should be a surrey wide action plan. It was also stated that Guildford BC were the only Council to introduce Electric buses and that they also have an Easit travel scheme.

4.      Members were requested to prioritise the actions in the Air Quality Priorities Plan at the next meeting of the working group. If Members would like particular actions to be prioritised they should e-mail Cllr Paul Spooner as Chairman of the Parking and Air Quality Working Group, Cllr Keith Taylor, the Regulatory Services Manager, GBC and the Transport Studies Team Manager, SCC.

5.      Officers also updated on the Surrey Air Alliance DEFRA bid for a school project in Air Quality Management Areas; the bid had been submitted and if successful the work would commence this year.

The Guildford Joint Committee resolved to:

(i)    agree the development of an Air Quality Priorities Plan in place of establishing an overarching policy/strategy;

(ii)  agree the Air Quality Priorities Plan for 2019-20;

(iii)identify any activities from the Air Quality Priorities Plan to be progressed first.

Reasons:

Although the Parking & Air Quality Working Group were requested to develop an overarching air quality policy/strategy, the Group considered that due to the number of existing policy and strategy documents already in place an overarching document would not be of great benefit.  Instead, the Group are proposed an Air Quality Priorities Plan.  Should this be endorsed by the Committee, then itemised activities would be progressed.