Issue - decisions

Resolved:           That the Executive Member agreed Option 2 and accepted the revisions to the Action Plan as recommended by Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee (as amended by the Executive Member, see minutes) and as a result;

Formally adopted the amended AQAP3, as a result of the consultation process, as York’s Third Air Quality Action Plan.

Reason:                This option will ensure that York continues to have a robust, current and relevant AQAP based on a strong local emission evidence base. This will facilitate continuing delivery of the aims and objectives of the LES.  AQAP3 will deliver emission reduction and health improvement benefits throughout the city and by 2021 should deliver the national air quality objectives for NO₂ at most, if not all, locations in York. Adoption of AQAP3 will demonstrate to DEFRA that York is continuing to strive to improve air quality in the city and may reduce the possibility of substantial air quality fines in the future.  AQAP3 will ensure that York continues to attract low emission vehicles, technologies and associated jobs ahead of other local authorities and having a newly adopted LES based AQAP3 in place will strengthen York’s bid to become one of OLEV’s designated Ultra-Low Emission Cities.  If successful this bid will attract millions of pounds of investment in low emission vehicles and infrastructure to York from 2016 onwards.

The Executive Member considered a report which presented him with the final draft of York’s Third Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP3), summarised the results of the public consultation and provided an update on new evidence relating to air quality and public health.

The Executive Member formally received the views of the Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee Pre Decision Call In Committee which had met prior to his decision making session. He appreciated that the committee was largely supportive of the plan as drafted but that it had made a number of comments which it would like him to take into account before approving the plan.  In view of the significance of the plan, the Executive Member felt that more time was needed to respond to and address the implications associated with the comments made by the scrutiny committee. He was therefore minded to request a further report covering those comments which related to:

economic viability; affordability; green infrastructure; an implementation plan; delivery targets and to the specific comments circulated by Councillor D’Agorne in advance of the meeting.

Resolved:   That a further decision session be arranged in December to consider a report addressing the comments set out above made by the pre-decision scrutiny committee together with their implications.

Reason:      To enable a full report to be considered reviewing the issues and their implications.