Issue - meetings

Lewis Coates, Community Protection Officer, presented the current position with regard to air quality in Rotherham, the possible effects on health and the proposed future approach to tackle the problem.

The Council was required to fulfil its statutory duties under the Environment Act 1995 relating to the improvement of ambient air quality and to carry out regular reviews and assessment against the standards and objectives of the National Air Quality Strategy.

Currently the Council was prioritised solely to meet the duties with resources accordingly focussed towards the 5 declared Air Quality Management Areas in Rotherham.  An annual performance report was required by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to demonstrate that the Council was achieving its statutory obligations.

DEFRA was to publish a consultation to review Local Air Quality Management detailing the statutory framework for local authority air quality review and assessment work.  This was likely to suggest a range of options including business as usual, stronger focus on action planning and stronger alignment with EU requirements to meet air quality limit values.

A detailed Health Impact Assessment was being undertaken in Rotherham, led by Rotherham Public Health, with the Community Protection Unit providing input in the form of air quality data and project implementation.  The Assessment would examine any potential links between air quality and health with the scope of health impacts including stroke, cardio vascular disease, coronary heart disease, respiratory disease, lung cancer, life expectancy, population survival, respiratory disease, infant mortality and daily mortality.  The expected completion of the project was late 2013.

There were also a number of land use and transport development proposals which would require assessment of their environmental impact e.g. proposed opencast site at Hesley Wood and the Waverley development.  It was noted that monitoring would take place on a regular basis at the proposed Hesley Wood development site. If any significant changes were recorded, immediate contact would be made with Sheffield City Council.

Resolved:-  (1)  That a further report and action plan be submitted on the findings of the finalised Health Impact Assessment.

(2)  That a further report be submitted on the introduction of the Government’s proposals with regard to Local Air Quality Management and future statutory framework for local authority air quality review and assessment work.

(3)  That investigation take place into the statistics for the Catcliffe/Brinsworth and Fitzwilliam Road areas with regard to Asthma rates.