Purpose

The Environment Act requires
the Council to review and assess air quality. Where air pollution
exceeds or is at risk of exceeding health objectives, an Air
Quality Management Area (AQMA) must be declared and an Air Quality
Action Plan developed within 18 months to reduce
pollution.
 
The report seeks Cabinet
approval to revoke the urban AQMA, which is no longer appropriate
as measured levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are well below
nationally set health based Air Quality Objective (AQO) levels, and
declare a smaller area from St Lawrence to Shah Place, Ramsgate
where pollution levels are at risk of exceeding health based
objectives for NO2 due to the area being heavily
trafficked.

Decision

Cabinet approved the revocation of the Urban
AQMA Order (Annex 3 to the report) and approved the declaration of
a smaller defined St Lawrence AQMA (Annex 4 to the report) and
authorised the application of the Common Seal to the Order.