Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received and noted from Councillors Denise Ward (Tameside) and Aidan Williams (Trafford).

To seek nominations for the appointment of Chair of the Committee for the 2024/2025 municipal year.

That Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, GM Lead Member for Clean Air, be appointed as Chair of the GM Air Quality Administration Committee for the 2024/2025 municipal year.

To note the Membership of the Committee for the 2024-2025 municipal year as follows:-

The Membership of the Committee for the 2024-2025 municipal year as follows, noting also that Tameside has made a change to their representative, with Councillor Denise Ward replacing Councillor Jacquline North:-

To note the Terms of Reference of the GM Air Quality Administration Committee.

That the Terms of Reference of the GM Air Quality Administration Committee, be noted.

To receive declarations of interest in any item for discussion at the meeting. A blank form for declaring interests has been circulated with the agenda; please ensure that this is returned to the Governance & Scrutiny Officer at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations made by any member of the committee in respect of any interests regarding any item on the agenda.

To consider the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting held on 20^th December 2023.

That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee, held on  20th December 2023, be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report of Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, GM Lead Member for Clean Air.

1. That the factors which have resulted in material updates to baseline modelling scenarios and the need to re-submit an appraisal of GM Investment-led Clean Air Plan, as set out in the report, be noted.

2. That it be noted that the update to the modelling does not alter the conclusion of GM’s December 2023 Submission that GM’s Investment-led Plan performs better than the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Benchmark.

3.       That it be noted that the revised Investment-led Plan, given the delay to the electrification of Queens Road depot and the removal of the temporary speed limit on the M602, will deliver compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2026 at the latest.

4. That the update to GM’s proposed bus measures that are grounded in the ability of GM to control the emissions standards of vehicles operating on key routes,  having introduced a bus franchising scheme, be noted.

5. That taxi measures remain unchanged be noted.

6. That the progress to put an emission standard in place for licensed taxis, be noted.

7. That the progress to determine highway measures to ensure compliance at Regent Road, Salford and Quay Street, Manchester, as set out in the report, be noted. 

8. That from an equality impacts perspective, the Investment-led Plan would deliver an air quality improvement that benefits individuals with protected characteristics, be noted. And also noted that an air quality improvement is likely to be faster for the Investment led Plan than a CAZ Benchmark due to the former achieving compliance earlier.

9. That it be noted that that the Government be requested to give urgent consideration to agreement to the removal of the 1309 signs installed for a GM-wide category C charging Clean Air Zone across GM and its boundary Authorities, as the appraisal shows that only the Investment-led Plan meets the legal requirement to deliver compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2026 at the latest and therefore the signs are no longer required.

10. That the Investment-led Plan would require an estimated additional £15.2 million of funding versus £61.9 million for a CAZ Benchmark when considering whole life costs, be noted.

11.That it be noted that Local Partnerships have been asked by JAQU to review the Investment led Plan aspects of the GM Appraisal Report (and relevant annexes), focusing on the commercial, financial and management elements.

12. That the Committee agrees to grant delegated authority to the Group Chief Executive, GMCA, GMFRS and TfGM, in consultation with the GM Clean Air Lead, to approve the final submission of material to the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit and deal with any supplementary requests from the Joint Air Quality Unit in support of the appraisal.

13. That the 2023 GM Clean Air Plan monitoring data indicates that nitrogen dioxide air pollution has seen an overall reduction in nitrogen dioxide exceedances compared to 2022, and a significant improvement to 2019 levels, as set out in the report, be noted.