The 2016 Local Air Quality Management Annual Progress Report for Bridgend County Borough Council has been drafted by the Shared Regulatory Services and requires Cabinet approval in order to submit a Final version to Welsh Government.

The Operational Manager, Shared Regulatory Services explained that the 2016 Local Air Quality Management Annual Progress Report for BCBC had been drafted and required Cabinet approval in order to submit a Final version to Welsh Government.  The report covered monitoring data obtained during the 2016 calendar year.

She explained that the Local Air Quality Management process (LAQM), placed an obligation on all local authorities to regularly review and assess air quality in their areas and to determine whether the air quality objectives to protect health were likely to be achieved.  Where exceedances’ occurred or were considered likely to occur, the local authority had to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and prepare an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) setting out the measures it intended to put in place in pursuit of the objectives.

The Environment Team Manager explained that the Annual Progress Report confirmed that air quality within Bridgend County Borough continued to meet the relevant air quality objectives as prescribed in the Air Quality (Wales) Regulations 2000 and the Air Quality (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2002. There were no monitoring sites with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations above 60µg/m3 in 2016 anywhere in the Bridgend County Borough. This indicated it was unlikely that the hourly NO2 objective would be exceeded at any location in the Bridgend County Borough.

He reported that 10 new NO2 monitoring locations had been introduced based on known areas of particularly elevated traffic flows, introduction of traffic management systems and foreseeable development, all with nearby relevant exposure. These newly monitored road networks included Park Street, Coity Road, Cowbridge Road and Bridgend Town Centre’s Market Street. For some years, an automatic monitoring station (AMS) had been located at the Ewenny roundabout. Recent results indicated consecutive compliance with the national air quality objectives. The Ewenny Roundabout AMS location would be reviewed in 2018 and the AMS could be relocated elsewhere in the borough. 

The Environment Team Manager explained that Welsh Government had issued new statutory policy guidance which highlighted the need for Local Authorities to inform the public about the state of air quality in their area in a timely fashion and involve local communities in identifying local solutions to air quality issues. The Shared Regulatory Service would undertake that role and Cabinet would be apprised of any pertinent findings arising from a consultation to be undertaken in 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help thanked officers for the report and asked where BCBC stood in comparison to the other 21 authorities.  The Environment Team Manager explained that it was difficult to compare with other authorities such as Cardiff but BCBC was meeting statutory levels. There were no safe levels and all authorities were encourages to reduce levels.   

The Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations commented that this was a good news story for Bridgend. There had been considerable development in Bridgend and this could lead to problematic areas.

The Deputy Leader welcomed the news that levels were low and that different locations were being considered and asked how they would be selected. The Specialist Services Officer explained that exposure levels would be considered and those areas where residential properties were close to traffic flow at a rate of more than 5000 to 10000 movements per day.

RESOLVED:             Cabinet approved the current Draft Annual Progress Report on Local Air Quality Management for Bridgend County Borough Council (as attached at Appendix 1) for submission as a final version to Welsh Government before the 31st December 2017.