Agenda item

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection providing a response to the resolution passed at the Grand Court of Wardmote on the 9th of May 2017 regarding concerns on air quality in the Ward of Dowgate. The Chairman explained that the response had been sent to the Members of the Ward of Dowgate and it would be considered at the March 2018 Wardmote.

Nina Swallow, the Environmental Health and Safety Officer from Nomura provided the Committee with a presentation on the work their business has been doing to improve air quality within the City.

A discussion took place during which the following points were raised:

·         Members noted the importance of demonstrating leadership and innovation in this area and asked whether there could be added monitoring sites, particularly in areas such as Ludgate Hill;

·         Members further noted that evidence showed the rapid decrease in NO2 levels away from road sides and asked whether more could be done to limit traffic within the City. Members asked whether a feedback report could be provided on the traffic management scheme at Bank Junction;

·         Members also noted the high levels of pollution from building sites and asked whether the construction companies had signed up for the Air Quality Pledge.

Both the Director of Port Health and Public Protection and the Director of the Built Environment responded to the queries raised by Members and confirmed that:

·         additional monitoring sites could be implemented and Members were asked to speak directly with Officers to suggest ideas;

·         the Policy and Resources Committee have made decisions on how to tackle road congestion and Officers were in the process of working up action plans to deliver on this;

·         the Air Quality team would require six months of data in order to comment on the outcome on pollutants from the Bank Junction scheme, a report could be provided in 2018;

·         the equipment used on construction sites is regulated and this is controlled via the planning application, the construction companies are also scored on their compliance with the code of practice.

RESOLVED – That the Committee:

a)    note the report, and;

b)      note that the report had been sent to Members of the Ward of Dowgate, pursuant to the resolution submitted by that Ward to the Grand Court of Wardmote and referred on to this Committee for consideration by the Court of Common Council, whom the Grand Court of Wardmote had tasked with responding.