Issue - meetings

The Director of Transport, Environment & Planning to present a report which seeks approval for proposals to use funding awarded by the DEFRA Air Quality Grant Scheme to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, particulate matter and carbon dioxide associated with delivery vehicles in York.

Resolved:  (i)      That the funding from DEFRA be accepted, to be used to address emissions associated with deliveries in the city.

                   (ii)      That the plan for the funding, as outlined in the report, and the conditions attached to the funding, be accepted.

                   (iii)     That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place (in consultation with the Director of Governance or her delegated officers) to take such steps as are necessary to procure, award and enter into the resulting contracts.

                   (iv)    That further information on implementation of the scheme, and further details of the pilot scheme, be brought to the Executive in Autumn 2021.

Reason:     To support current and ongoing work to improve air quality, support development of York’s fourth Local Transport Plan, and contribute to a number of other council priorities.

The Corporate Director of Placepresented a report which sought approval for proposals to use funding of £297,237 awarded by the DEFRA Air Quality Grant Scheme to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, particulate matter and carbon dioxide associated with delivery vehicles in York.

The award would be used to support two main projects; a feasibility study and a pilot project, as outlined in paragraphs 16-24 of the report and in Annexes 1 and 2.  Both would be contracted out, through the council’s procurement process.  The aim was to address emissions and congestion from the growing number of delivery vans, HGVs and LGVs, especially in the city centre, via the use of low emission transport modes for the first and last mile of delivery.  This would assist in delivering the Air Quality Action Plan and support a number of the city’s objectives.

The funding would be subject to the UK Subsidy Control Rules, which replaced the European State Aid Rules in December 2020.  Legal officers’ views on how these rules would be complied with were set out in paragraph 34 of the report.

Having noted the comments made on this item under Public Participation, it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the funding from DEFRA be accepted, to be used to address emissions associated with deliveries in the city.

                   (ii)      That the plan for the funding, as outlined in the report, and the conditions attached to the funding, be accepted.

                   (iii)     That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place (in consultation with the Director of Governance or her delegated officers) to take such steps as are necessary to procure, award and enter into the resulting contracts.

                   (iv)    That further information on implementation of the scheme, and further details of the pilot scheme, be brought to the Executive in Autumn 2021.

Reason:     To support current and ongoing work to improve air quality, support development of York’s fourth Local Transport Plan, and contribute to a number of other council priorities.