Agenda item

1.

Question from Caroline Sherwood on behalf of Clean Air Cheltenham to the Cabinet Member Cyber and Safety, Councillor Andrew McKinlay

CBC has previously set up a Walking and Cycling Scrutiny Task Force which recommended implementing car-free days in Cheltenham. Their final report in 2016 was endorsed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and then endorsed by the Cabinet.

Why has no action been taken since then, and in the light of CBC’s recent commitments to reducing air pollution and sustainable transport in the ‘Connecting Cheltenham’ strategy, will CBC now commit to Cheltenham taking part in World Car Free Day on 22 September this year?

Response from Cabinet Member

Many thanks for your question. The Walking and Cycling Scrutiny Task Force presented 12 recommendations as part of the 2016 report. Action has been taken on the majority of items and they continue to be considered in our steps toward carbon neutrality by 2030, and within the subsequent actions and aspirations arising from the detailed ‘Connecting Cheltenham’ report.  The introduction of ‘Car Free Sundays’ was a recommendation to ‘explore the opportunities’. The last year we have been responding heavily to the pandemic. We are aware of the car free day in September and plan to work with partners to see if there is some activity that can be jointly arranged. This is wholly dependent on the continued decline of the pandemic.

Supplementary question

We understand that GCC is proactively supporting Car Free Day this year, under the direction of Philip Williams. Apart from the progress of the pandemic, do you see any other barriers to this going ahead? Is the Council willing to collaborate with Clean Air Cheltenham, as one of the partners, to make the day a success and to inform GCC of the roads and areas that need to be car-free to accomplish this?

Response from Cabinet Member

This council certainly wants to support the car free initiative in any way we can, and it is good news that the county council is supporting this. Some details are unclear due to the situation with Covid, but if possible, the council will certainly work with GCC and Clean Air Cheltenham to ensure that it is a success.

2.

Question from Peter Frings to the Cabinet Member Cyber and Safety, Councillor Andrew McKinlay

The council's latest annual Air Quality Annual Status Report confirms that ‘the current AQAP will be out of date by the end of 2019’. DEFRA guidelines are that a new AQAP must be in place within 12 months, i.e. the end of 2020.

Where is the new Cheltenham AQAP, and when does the council intend to consult with the public about the actions needed to tackle air pollution in the town?

Response from Cabinet Member

The AQAP became obsolete when the AQMA was revised in September 2020.  Statutory guidance requires a new AQAP to be published within 12 months of the new AQMA being confirmed.  This action, and the relevant timeline has been approved by DEFRA.  Public consultation on the new AQAP will occur in due course this summer.  At this stage, invitations have been sent to key stakeholders to attend initial meetings of a Steering Group on 29^th and 30^th April which will begin to develop options for consideration in the AQAP.  Invitations have been sent to statutory authorities and also to other local relevant groups, including public transport providers and Clean Air Cheltenham.  CBC is the only Gloucestershire LA to have updated an AQMA and AQAP to reflect improved levels of air quality in over 10 years.

Supplementary question

I challenge the assertion that air quality has improved. Only 8 of the town centre sites monitored continuously since 2011 show a marginal dip in nitrogen dioxide levels between 2011 and 2019, while some town centre sites remain above the legal limit.

The new timeline approved by DEFRA changed the AQAP publication deadline to the later date of September 2021. How can the Cabinet be confident that this will be published by September 2021 when the initial meetings aren’t until 29^th April, and the public consultation is not until summer? The whole process seems to have been condensed into four months.

Response from Cabinet Member

Cheltenham Borough Council officers have agreed to the DEFRA timeline and there is no reason to think that it is unreasonable, with the later start date being due to the effect of the Covid crisis on the council’s priorities. I have no reason to doubt that the AQPA will be published on time in September 2021, and DEFRA will certainly be on our case if not.

3.

Question from Peter Frings to the Cabinet Member Cyber and Safety, Councillor Andrew McKinlay

Councillor McKinlay announced the imminent installation of 9 new AQ Mesh air pollution monitors at the Cabinet meeting in January 2020. These new monitors should provide continuous monitoring of Nitrogen Dioxide, as well as the first monitoring of particulate matter (PM) undertaken by the council.

When will data be published for these new monitors? Specifically, hourly and daily summaries of Nitrogen Dioxide and PM2.5 levels at all 9 locations, and also the comparative data for Nitrogen Dioxide from the long-established reference monitoring site at St Georges Street?

Response from Cabinet Member

AQ Mesh monitors were installed in August 2020, after a Covid delay.  Results from the months after their installation were not reliable, and all 9 units have now been re-calibrated against reference equipment.  Re-calibration of 8 units has recently been completed, with the final unit expected to be complete imminently.  The report of results to the end of 2020 will be available when the final unit has been calibrated and will be published to our website.  Reports on levels will then be made available quarterly.  We are currently exploring the costs and technical issues around making real time data available from this new equipment and existing monitoring equipment.  CBC leads the county in air quality monitoring and is the only LA in the county to operate real-time AQ monitoring equipment.

Supplementary question

Does the recalibration refer solely to the nitrogen dioxide readings? And if so, when will the particulate readings until now be released?

Response from Cabinet Member

My assumption would be that the monitors would be recalibrated for all the various pollutants that they are designed to measure, which constitutes 8 or 10 different indicators, but I will consult officers and provide you with a proper written response.