Agenda item

To consider the decisions made by the Executive on 8 June 2010 with regard to the above item, which have been called in by Councillors Alexander, Gunnell and Kingin accordance with the provisions of the Council’s Constitution.  A cover report is attached setting out the reasons for the call-in and the remit and powers of the Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling In) in relation to the call-in procedure, together with the original report to and decisions of the Executive.

Members received a report, which asked them to consider the decisions made by the Executive on 8 June 2010 in response to a report, which sought approval for the development of an overarching low emission strategy for York and provided an update on the Council’s successful joint bid with Leeds City Council to become regional low emission champions.

Details of the Executives decisions were attached as Annex 1 to the report. The original report to the Executive Member Decision Session was attached as Annex 2. The decisions had been called in by Councillors Alexander, Gunnell and King on the grounds that:

“(i)          The Executive has given no clear steer to officers in terms of urgently addressing the deteriorating air quality position in York in a meaningful way, given the extremely concerning levels of damage to health, nor even of specifying when the Low Emission Strategy is to be delivered by.

(ii)          Whilst recognising the need to co-ordinate the Air Quality and Carbon Management strategies, the Executive is wrong to arbitrarily decide to subordinate the Air Quality strategy to the Carbon Management programme.

(iii)             The Executive should have elevated the status of the Air Quality Steering Group in order that regular progress reports go direct to the relevant Executive Members/Executive, as one important step in addressing the serious risk to health in the city from poor air quality.”

Members were invited to decide whether to confirm the decisions of the Executive Member (Option A) or to refer them back to the Executive for reconsideration (Option B).

Councillor King addressed the meeting on behalf of the Calling-In members. He pointed out that the Councils carbon reduction targets were not being met and that air quality in the city had worsened. He referred to a number of breach areas and to the number of premature deaths caused by this pollution. He stated that drastic action was immediately required to bring levels to acceptable limits.

Officers confirmed that they were in position to develop the strategy by the end of the year and that currently measures were being put in place in an effort to improve air quality in the city.

Councillor Alexander then moved, and Cllr Merrett seconded, that Option B be approved and the matter be referred back to the Executive with a recommendation that the Executive should note the urgency of developing a Low Emissions Strategy for York and request its production before November with the strategy detailing by when the various standards, actions and targets should be met. On being put to the vote, this proposal was CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED:     That Option B be approved and the matter be referred back to the Executive with a request that they should note the urgency of developing a Low Emissions Strategy for York and request its production before November with the strategy detailing by when the various standards, actions and targets should be met.

REASON:                  In accordance with the requirements of the Council’s calling-in procedure and the reasons given for the calling-in.