Issue - meetings

Report number:     CAB/WS/22/065

Portfolio holders: Councillors Andy Drummond and Peter Stevens

Lead officer: Mark Walsh

Resolved:

That, the following Options be endorsed:

1.           Option 2: That Civil Enforcement Officers continue to provide informal advice and guidance to drivers as part of their day-to-day activities.

2.           Option 3: That the Council continues to undertake general air quality improvement work, focusing on vehicle idling where proportionate, including education not just in schools but also includes the general public; signs; leaflets and social media.

(Report number CAB/WS/22/065)

The Cabinet considered this report, which was recommending the endorsement of two options with regards to the Council continuing its work on the improvement of air quality and on the reduction of vehicle idling in West Suffolk.

On 10 November 2022, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee received Report number OAS/WS/22/016, which contained detailed information on air quality in West Suffolk; vehicle idling and air quality; enforcement powers; a summary of anti-idling research and best practice; West Suffolk enforcement implications and costs; existing air quality actions; electric vehicles and options and recommendations. The Committee had considered the report in detail, along with the three options which were set out in Section 3 of Report number OAS/WS/22/016. 

Therefore, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were recommending to Cabinet, that Options 2 and 3, including the additional wording set out in italics at Option 3, be endorsed.

Councillor Andy Drummond, Portfolio Holder for Regulatory and Environment and Councillor Peter Stevens, Portfolio Holder for Operations, both drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet and both expressed their support for the two options being recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Robert Everitt, Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, also explained that, in his capacity as Chair of the Bury St Edmunds Air Quality Residents Group, the Group had worked extremely hard to highlight the issue of air quality and vehicle idling within the Town.  Therefore, Councillor Everitt also welcomed these proposed recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved:

That, the following Options be endorsed:

1.           Option 2: That Civil Enforcement Officers continue to provide informal advice and guidance to drivers as part of their day-to-day activities.

2.           Option 3: That the Council continues to undertake general air quality improvement work, focusing on vehicle idling where proportionate, including education not just in schools but also includes the general public; signs; leaflets and social media.