Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for the Environment will report at the meeting.  Reports and appendices attached.

The Cabinet Member, Environment provided members with overview of the GM Clean Air Plan outline Business case.  Bury Council is mandated by Government to tackle Nitrogen dioxide exceedances in the borough in the shortest possible time. Consequently Bury Council has been working collectively with all Greater Manchester local authorities and the GMCA coordinated by TfGM, to produce a feasibility study for a GM Clean Air Plan in accordance with Government direction. The report summarises the key features of this feasibility study so far and includes the outline business case which if adopted by Bury Council can be then be submitted  to Government for approval; leading to further stakeholder engagement, consultation and completion of a final business case.

Delegated decisions:

That Cabinet:

•        Note that the Council is legally obliged to produce a feasibility study to identify the option which will deliver compliance with the requirement to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide following the Secretary of State issuing a direction under the Environment Act 1995;

•        Adopt the feasibility study undertaken to date;

•        Note that further stakeholder engagement and public consultation is an essential part of the process to help inform and refine ongoing work to produce a Full Business Case by the end of the calendar year;

•        Approve the OBC (for submission to the government's Joint Air Quality Unit);

•        Require government to provide the financial support necessary to enable the Council to meet its legal limits for nitrogen dioxide;

•        Note that despite this council being required to address nitrogen oxide exceedances the government has not yet addressed this issue for its own assets, including Highways England and the motorway network;

•        Approve the commencement of the public conversation and engagement activity from 15 May 2019;

•        Note that further reports will be submitted to [Executive/Cabinet] on:

o        the proposals for statutory consultation, informed by the outcome of the public conversation and engagement.

o        formal approval of the Full Business Case.

•        Agree that TfGM continue with the activity to produce the Full Business Case on their behalf under the direction of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Steering Group; and

•        Delegate to the Interim Executive Director, Communities and Wellbeing or nominated officer, in consultation with Councillor Alan Quinn Cabinet Member for Environment, the approval of submission of supplementary information.

Reasons for the decision:

This report and recommendations form part of ongoing work by AGMA, GMCA and TFGM pursuant to the government mandate to comply with legislative requirements on air quality.