Time running out to create effective Air Pollution Action Plan for Ashbourne

Councillors attending Derbyshire Dales District Council's Community and Environment meeting on 29th June were not impressed that the 'report' on progress in the Action Plan was just a diary. Although reference was made to a 'Draft Report' no details of this were submitted to committee members.

Since it appears that the only actions in the current draft plan are those reported to DCC in February it is difficult to understand why they could not have been discussed at the June C&E meeting.

The response to a question asked by a member of the public about a date for publication of the Action Plan was also disappointingly unhelpful; "At this stage it is not possible to state a precise date for this to happen as consultation with community stakeholders on the working group has not yet been concluded".

So after over a year from when the District Council finally acknowledged that Ashbourne had an air pollution problem not only have no mitigation measures been implemented but also no agreement as to what those mitigation measures should be.

It seems appalling to us that a problem that directly affects the health and well-being of residents should be allowed to drag on so long.

Only two members of the seven strong Steering Group set up to produce the Action Plan are not employees of either the County or District Council. It is therefore not obvious where this group derives its balance. Local authorities will always have their existing priorities shaped largely by budget and manpower. It is surprising that local hauliers and residents who are exposed to the illegal levels of pollution do not have their own representatives on the group.

By having wasted yet another opportunity to allow councillors to scrutinise possible mitigation measures, the District Council now have just one meeting on 8th September to agree a programme of action if the plan is to be submitted to Defra before the 18 month deadline.