Issue - meetings

A report from Councillor Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member Transport and Infrastructure is attached.

Councillor Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure presented a report outlining the progress that has been made on the development of Greater Manchester’s (GM) Clean Air Plan following the decision that the GM Local Authorities will move to a statutory public consultation on this plan as soon as reasonably practicable in light of COVID-19 restrictions, and the link to taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards. The report also considers the formal governance mechanisms that will underpin the delivery of a GM Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and the supporting measures.

                 Delegated decision:

Cabinet agrees to:

1. Note the progress of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan;

2. Note that TfGM have confirmation that the funding award for Bus Retrofit should be distributed as soon as possible as per arrangements put in place for the Clean Bus Technology Funds;

3. Note the update on the possible impacts of COVID-19 on the GM Clean Air Plan;

4. Agree that Bury Council along with the other nine GM local Authorities hold an 8-week public consultation on the GM Clean Air Plan commencing in October 2020;

5. Note that the GM local Authorities intend to consult on GM’s proposed Minimum Licensing Standards, alongside the Clean Air Plan consultation;

6. Agree that TfGM act as the Operating Body for the GM CAZ and supporting measures as set out at paragraph 8.5;

7. Agree that Bury Council along with the other nine GM Authorities individually be a ‘charging authority’ for the purposes of the CAZ, pursuant to the Transport Act 2000;

8. Endorse the GM Clean Air Plan Policy for Consultation at Appendix 3;

9. Note the Equalities Impact Assessment on the Clean Air Plan, as set out at Appendix 5;

10. Note that further reports will be brought forward to set out the formal governance mechanisms that will underpin the delivery of a GM Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and the supporting measures, including the full scope of the suite of powers that will be needed to be delegated to the Operating Body;

11. Agree a delegation to Councillors Alan Quinn and Lucy Smith to approve the submission of the cases for measures to the Government's Joint Air Quality Unit to support the GM Clean Air Plan;

12. Agree a delegation to Councillors Alan Quinn and Lucy Smith to approve the GM Clean Air Plan consultation materials, to include the Equalities Impact Assessment on the consultation; and

13. Note that response to DfT’s Decarbonising Transport – setting the challenge, as set out at Appendix 1, has been submitted to Government.        

Reasons for the decision:

The proposed GM county wide consultation does not present any legal problem. In addition it is open to the Council to agree to be a charging authority under the Transport

Act 2000.

Other option considered and rejected:

To reject the recommendations.