Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety

Forward Plan Ref: 2024/347

Contact: Kate Eveleigh, Public Health Principal (Kate.Eveleigh@oxfordshire.gov.uk)  

Report by Director of Public Health and Communities (CMDPHICS).

The Chair said his understanding was that the report provided an overview of the update to the Air Quality Route Map first adopted in June 2023. The aim at that time was to ensure that it would be a live document subject to annual review.

Officers said that in the report, actions had been removed if completed, adjusted if they required additional clarity or greater ambition, or added. Three actions were added as outlined in paragraph 16 of the report.

Officers said that the following action had been reinstated:

Undertake Network management as part of an integrated approach to promote traffic flow and reduce idling traffic particularly in locations where there are groups vulnerable to poor air quality.

and reworded:

Scope the options for Network management as part of an integrated approach to promote traffic flow and reduce idling traffic particularly in locations where there are groups vulnerable to poor air quality.

They said that work was already underway on the development of the workplace parking levy, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), and traffic filters to reduce traffic at certain times, manage congestion, and improve air quality.

The Chair approved the recommendations, subject to the following amendments to the list of actions in the Route Map because he felt it was important to get some details on public record.

1.    The reinstatement of this action:

Deliver parking controls, traffic reduction schemes and congestion management measures to reduce private car use and improve local air quality.

2.    Revision of five actions as follows:

a.    Work to reduce air pollution from waste disposal including development of the circular economy strategy.

Removed as complete as a programme of actions to reduce air pollution included in waste disposal activities and air quality expertise involved in development of the County Councils Circular Economy strategy.

b.    Work with local partners to deliver the Oxfordshire Energy Strategy and supporting projects.

Removed as complete as the council has recruited to a new post to support addressing energy challenges.  Partners continue to work on delivery of the Oxfordshire Energy Strategy. 

c.    Ensure air quality impacts are included as a consideration in county council planning consultation responses including in Health Impact Assessments of strategic developments and major infrastructure schemes, particularly where this is related to county council functions such as transport.

An audit of planning application responses by the Public Health service was carried out in the summer of 2024 and air quality impacts were considered so this action removed as complete as ongoing.

d.    Ensure air quality is included as a potential health impact when conducting HIAs on major transport schemes or plans and any adverse impacts on local air quality are effectively mitigated.

Removed as complete as the HIA guidance available on Oxfordshire Healthy Place Shaping webpages which includes air quality as a potential health impact.

e.    Work with our Air Quality Partners to understand current monitoring in Oxfordshire and develop a joined up, integrated approach to local air quality monitoring.

Removed as complete as University of Birmingham completed a review of air quality monitors and monitoring sites are included on the Oxonair website

The Chair thanked officers for their contributions to the meeting.

RESOLVED to:

a)    agree the updated actions for 2025 in the Air Quality Route Map developed under the Oxfordshire County Council Air Quality Strategy 2023-2027; and

b)    agree that annual updates to the actions in the Route Map is delegated to the Director of Public Health and Communities in consultation with the Director of Environment and Highways in the future.