Issue - meetings

AQMAs are required to be designated where the air quality fails to meet the prescribed standards for certain pollutants. This is done through an order, made under the Environment Act 1995. Since the 2 remaining AQMAs in Three Rivers were designated in 2001, the air quality has improved and the improvements have been sustained such that the air quality now complies with the required standards. For this reason, Junction 18 of the M25 and its surrounds no longer need to be designated as AQMAs and the revocation of the orders is being recommended, in line with Government guidance.

This report provides further details and seeks clarification on the relevant revocation process.

Recommendation

That the report and its recommendations are discussed and noted with the agreed Officer recommendations progressed:

i)          To agree the revocation of the 2 AQMAs at junction 18 of the M25 in accordance with DEFRA guidance/legislative provisions under the Environment Act 1995 following stakeholder and public consultation.

ii)         The final decision to revoke the 2 AQMAs at junction 18 of the M25 is delegated to the Director of Finance in consultation with the relevant Lead Member following consideration of any responses received to the consultation. If any material objections are

The Head of Regulatory Services introduced Nick Egerton, Environmental Health Manager at Watford Borough Council, who provide environmental health commercial services on behalf of Three Rivers District Council, that includes air quality. The officer also presented the report.

Members noted the positive news which shows that the air quality has been below the 10% margin of error for the past three years. The Lead Member advised that he had been in communication with officers to look into the feasibility of issuing closer to WHO standards of air quality.

Officers responded to questions from Members, including the PM 10 monitoring, which is provided by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), who have received funding which could provide further monitoring. Officers clarified that the recommendation in the report is seeking for the agreement of the revocation of the 2 AQMAs at junction 18 of the M25, not the monitoring of it. Furthermore, officers confirmed that PM 2.5 is being monitored and local authorities will still have a target to continually decrease as part of the national air quality criteria, after the AQMAs are revoked, and to demonstrate a continuous improvement through reporting annually to DEFRA.

Councillor Chris Lloyd moved the recommendation as set out in the report.

On being put to the committee, the motion was declared CARRIED by the Chair, the voting being by general assent.

RESOLVED:

That the report and its recommendations are discussed and noted with the agreed Officer recommendations progressed:

1. To agree the revocation of the 2 AQMAs at junction 18 of the M25 in accordance with DEFRA guidance/legislative provisions under the Environment Act 1995 following stakeholder and public consultation.

2. The final decision to revoke the 2 AQMAs at junction 18 of the M25 is delegated to the Director of Finance in consultation with the relevant Lead Member following consideration of any responses received to the consultation. If any material objections are raised the matter will be reported back to the relevant Committee.