The Cabinet considered a report setting out the progress that has been made on the development of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan following a public consultation on proposals that were developed pre-COVID-19 and the link to taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and has:-
(1) Noted the progress of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan;
(2) Noted the next steps for the development of the Clean Air Plan and Minimum Licensing Standards, listed at Section 12;
(3) Noted the distribution of Bus Retrofit funding commenced in December 2020;
(4) Noted that Government ministers have agreed to consider extending Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges to the sections of the A628/A57 which form part of the Strategic Road Network, within the proposed CAZ boundary, subject to the outcomes of an assessment, which is expected to be completed by early 2021;
(5) Noted that the GM Clean Air Plan is required to take action tackle nitrogen dioxide exceedances until compliance with the legal limits has been demonstrated and that the nearer term influence of COVID-19 on air quality is not expected to lead to sufficiently long term reductions in pollution such that the exceedances of the legal limits of nitrogen dioxide will not occur without implementing a Clean Air Zone;
(6) Noted that the GM CAP final plan will be brought forward for decision makers as soon as is reasonably practicable and no later than summer 2021;
(7) Noted that the outputs of the MLS will be reported alongside the GM CAP as soon as is reasonably practicable and no later than summer 2021;
(8) Agreed to the establishment of joint committees and to delegate to those committees the Authority’s functions as set out in report at paragraph 10.5 with specific terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 6.Appoint the Lead Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibility for Clean Air to sit on both committees for the purposes as set out in this report at paragraph 10.5 with specific terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 6.
(9) Noted the requirement for the appointment of a further Cabinet Member as substitute for both committees for purposes as set out in this report at paragraph 10.5 with specific terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 6.
(10) Stockport Council agrees to enter into a collaboration agreement with the other 9 GM local authorities and GMCA/TfGM to clarify amongst other matters the rights, responsibilities and obligations of the authorities in relation to those contracts set out in Appendix 2 that are required to maintain delivery momentum in line with JAQU funding agreements.
(11) Agreed a delegation to the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibility for Clean Air and Director of Public Health to agree the final form of the collaboration agreement; and
(12) Agreed a delegation to the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibility for Clean Air and Director of Public Health to award the contracts set out in Appendix 2 (subject to government funding) that are required to implement a charging Clean Air Zone in Spring 2022 to ensure the achievement of Nitrogen Dioxide compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2024 at the latest as required by the Ministerial Direction.
(13) Agreed a delegation to the Strategic Head of Service (Legal & Democratic Governance) and Monitoring Officer to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution with regard to, but not limited to, the incorporation of the joint committees’ terms of reference into Stockport Council’s Constitution.
(14) Noted that the matter will be referred to an extraordinary meeting of the Council Meeting in early March 2021 with specific reference to the entering into of joint arrangements with other authorities and would be subject to engagement with the Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee in addition to the potential for an all-member briefing being held on the issue.