Agenda item

Proposal to Develop an Outline Business Case for a Sefton Clean Air Zone

Joint Report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing and the Head of Highways and Public Protection.

Minutes:

 

The Cabinet considered the joint report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing and Head of Highways and Public Protection that:

 

a)    advised Cabinet of the findings and recommendations of the Sefton Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Feasibility Study;  

b)    sought approval to develop an Outline Business Case (OBC) to inform future decisions in relation to the possible implementation of a Sefton CAZ; and  

c)    sought approval to provide the additional funding necessary to enable the OBC to be prepared. 

 

Decisions Made:       That the Cabinet:

 

(1)           noted the conclusions and recommendations from the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Feasibility Study;

 

(2)           approved the proposal to proceed with development of an Outline Business Case for a Sefton CAZ in line with the 5 Case Model, as detailed in the report;

 

(3)            noted the Revenue & Capital Budget Update 2019/20 report, Minute no: X refers, Agenda Item 9, containing a recommendation to approve a supplementary revenue estimate of £0.530M to fund the development of the Business Case;

 

(4)            granted authority for officers to commence soft consultation with the key stakeholders identified in this report as an early and essential step in the OBC process; 

 

(5)            noted the risks, assumptions and uncertainties associated with this key decision; and  

 

(6)            noted future key decisions that result from the completion of an OBC.

 

Reasons for the Decisions:

 

The Outline Business Case process is a systematic approach.  It establishes the case for change, evaluates affordability, and aims to identify a commercially viable option or options that offers best value for money and is practically deliverable. The 5 Case Business Case model is the framework being used in other local authority areas where a CAZ is being considered. This model also enables effective risk management and strengthens rigour, transparency and objectivity in decision-making. Investment in this approach is commensurate with the magnitude of costs, benefits and risks that attend future decisions about a CAZ in Sefton.

 

 

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

This section summarises considerations in relation to, 

 

·     Alternative options for reducing traffic-related air pollution 

·     Alternative options for further exploring a CAZ in Sefton compared to the funded, 5 Case OBC model being proposed  

 

Sefton Council has good coverage of air quality monitors and has implemented air quality improvement action plans in four air quality management areas where air pollution readings are above government targets. A summary of these are provided here.   

 

https://mysefton.co.uk/2019/06/18/sefton-council-clears-the-air-on-pollution-initiatives/

 

The rationale for conducting the CAZ Feasibility Study was provided by: evidence of the risk to health from road traffic pollution, ongoing above-target concentrations in discrete ‘hotspots’, and the absence of any other high impact interventions left to consider. 

 

The Sefton Clean Air Zone Feasibility Study used a detailed mathematical model, to predict where the government’s target for annual average nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration would not be achieved in the future, assuming no further air quality improvement interventions are implemented. This ‘do nothing’ scenario identifies 70 relevant locations in 2020. The prediction for 2025 is zero, however several remain just under the target.  

 

The study concluded that a CAZ would achieve reduced emissions, but recommended additional, specialist analyses to identify a best fit design and location in order to identify options with the optimum balance of direct health benefit (less exposure to NO2) and indirect costs to health (e.g. possible displacement of polluting traffic, impacts on access to transport, economic conditions for local employers). 

 

The Council’s primary objective is to reduce harm from traffic pollution throughout Sefton, but particularly in those places where concentrations are highest. The risks of the three broad response options are as follows: 

 

·       Under a ‘do nothing scenario’ people will be exposed to more air pollution for longer, adding to inequality arising from other socio-economic and behavioural risk factors in communities in and around Sefton’s existing Air Quality Management Areas 

·       A strategy of minor improvement measures is likely to result in a similar outcome  

·       Possible implementation of a CAZ addresses the primary objective but has risks in a number of areas – strategic context, economic, financial, commercial and management  

 

The proposal to develop a comprehensive OBC is the best way to address the issues identified above. 

 

The proposal to allocate funding to support this process recognises the scale and complexity of the task, and the specialist skills and knowledge needed to complete it.  

 

The risks associated with not progressing along these lines include: delay, weaker basis for future decisions and sub-optimum management of risk. 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: