The Cabinet considered a report of the Corporate Director for Place proposing the declaration of an Air Quality Management Area following an assessment of the air quality at the junction of the A127, Hobleythick Lane and Rochford Road.

Resolved:

1.    That the outcome of the 2016 Local Air Quality Management Detailed Assessment for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council for nitrogen dioxide exceedences at the junction of A127, Rochford Road and Hobleythick Lane, be noted.

2.    That the proposed Air Quality Management Area boundaries for nitrogen dioxide, detailed within Appendix 1 to the submitted report and the Air Quality Management Area Order 1 (Appendix 2 to the report) be declared and that an Order be made under the provisions of Section 83(1) of the Environment Act 1995 formally designating the area as an Air Quality Management Area.

3.    That consultation be undertaken on the development of an Air Quality Action Plan, in line with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) guidance, and that following the completion of the consultation, the Corporate Director for Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Public protection, be authorised to finalise the plan for submission to DEFRA.

4.     That an Air Quality Strategy be developed for the Borough.

5.    That the funding position for this project, as set out in Section 6.2 of the report, be noted.

Reason for Decision

The Council has a statutory duty to review air quality in the Borough and assess whether standards and objectives are being achieved. Where exceedences of the air quality objectives are not met the Council must declare an Air Quality Management Area and develop an air quality action plan to improve air quality.

Other Options

None

This is an Executive Function

Called-in to Place Scrutiny Committee

Executive Councillor – Flewitt