Issue - meetings

To consider the Council’s Air Quality Management Areas.

Wards affected: Ashbrow, Liversedge & Gomersal, Dewsbury West, Birstall & Birkenshaw, Lindley, Heckmondwike, Crosland Moor & Netherton and Newsome.

Contact: Rebecca Muff, Environmental Health Group Leader

RESOLVED – That under the provisions of the Environment Act 1995: -

1)    the Air Quality Management Areas in (i) AQMA1 Copper Bridge and Bradley (ii) AQMA2 Scouthill and (iii) AQMA4 Birkenshaw, be revoked.

2)    the Air Quality Management Areas in (i) AQMA3 Ainley Top, (ii) AQMA7 Liversedge and (iii) AQMA10 Thornton Lodge, be amended.

3)    authority be delegated to the Head of Public Protection to carry out all necessary steps to execute the revocation or amendment of the Air Quality Management Areas.

4)    authority be delegated authority to the Service Director, Legal, Governance and Commissioning to enter into and execute any documents necessary to revoke or amend the Air Quality Management Areas.

Cabinet received a report detailing the progress made in improving air quality across the borough and the resulting proposal to revoke or amend six of the ten designated Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in Kirklees.

Cabinet noted that a statutory review and consultation process had been undertaken in line with DEFRA guidance, which confirmed that revocation or amendment was appropriate in these cases. The proposed changes included the full revocation of AQMAs at Cooper Bridge and Bradley, Scouthill, and Birkenshaw, and amendments to AQMAs at Ainley Top, Liversedge, and Thornton Lodge. It was acknowledged that while some areas within the amended AQMAs continued to exceed air quality standards, others had shown consistent compliance, justifying a reduction in their geographical scope. The report also confirmed that air quality monitoring would continue borough-wide, and any future exceedances would be addressed accordingly.

Cabinet was informed that the revocation and amendment process would be completed by the end of August 2025.

RESOLVED – That under the provisions of the Environment Act 1995: -

1)    the Air Quality Management Areas in (i) AQMA1 Copper Bridge and Bradley (ii) AQMA2 Scouthill and (iii) AQMA4 Birkenshaw, be revoked.

2)    the Air Quality Management Areas in (i) AQMA3 Ainley Top, (ii) AQMA7 Liversedge and (iii) AQMA10 Thornton Lodge, be amended.

3)    authority be delegated to the Head of Public Protection to carry out all necessary steps to execute the revocation or amendment of the Air Quality Management Areas.

4)    authority be delegated authority to the Service Director, Legal, Governance and Commissioning to enter into and execute any documents necessary to revoke or amend the Air Quality Management Areas.