The Cabinet has considered a report setting out the progress that has been made on the development of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan following the decision that the GM Local Authorities will move to a statutory public consultation on the GM Clean Air Plan as soon as reasonably practicable in light of COVID-19 restrictions, and the link to taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards. The report also considered the formal governance mechanisms that will underpin the delivery of a GM Clean Air Zone and the supporting measures.
The Cabinet then:-
(1) Noted the progress of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan;
(2) Noted that TfGM have confirmation that the funding award for Bus Retrofit should be distributed as soon as possible as per arrangements put in place for the Clean Bus Technology Funds;
(3) Noted the update on the possible impacts of COVID-19 on the GM Clean Air Plan;
(4) Agreed that Stockport Council along with the other nine GM local Authorities hold n 8-week public consultation on the GM Clean Air Plan commencing in October 2020;
(5) Noted that the GM local Authorities intend to consult on GM’s proposed Minimum Licensing Standards, alongside the Clean Air Plan consultation;
(6) Agreed that TfGM act as the Operating Body for the GM CAZ and supporting measures as set out at paragraph 9.5;
(7) Agreed that Stockport Council along with the other nine GM Authorities individually be a ‘charging authority’ for the purposes of the CAZ, pursuant to the Transport Act 2000;
(8) Endorsed the GM Clean Air Plan Policy for Consultation at Appendix 3;
(9) Noted the Equalities Impact Assessment on the Clean Air Plan, as set out at Appendix 5;
(10) Noted that further reports will be brought forward to set out the formal governance mechanisms that will underpin the delivery of a GM Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and the supporting measures, including the full scope of the suite of powers that will be needed to be delegated to the Operating Body;
(11) Agreed a delegation to the Corporate Director of Place Management and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health and Director of Public Health to approve the submission of the cases for measures to the Government's Joint Air Quality Unit to support the GM Clean Air Plan;
(12) Agreed a delegation to the Corporate Director of Place Management and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health and Director of Public Health to approve the GM Clean Air Plan consultation materials, to include the Equalities Impact Assessment on the consultation; and
(13) Noted that response to DfT’s Decarbonising Transport – setting the challenge, as set out at Appendix 1, has been submitted to Government.
(14) Noted that the consultation sets the proposed boundary of the Clean Air Zone to exclude the A555 from the junction with the B5166 in the west to the junction with A523 in the east, as outlined at paragraph 4.17.