Decision required to implement a grant scheme from the Tower Hamlets Mayor’s Air Quality Fund to promote measures to improve air quality in the borough.

The Grants Determination Sub-Committee (GDSC) heard from the Pollution Team Leader noting:

• The purpose of the new award was to improve air quality in the borough in line with the Air Quality Action Plan.
• The report also asked the GDSC to agree to the establishment of a process to deliver and monitor the use of the grant.

The Sub Committee noted the written comments of GSSC broadly supporting the proposal and highlighting concerns around the effective use of the grant and arrangements for testing air quality.

The Chair invited members of the Sub-Committee to comment on the report and they indicated that they also broadly supported the proposal.

DECISION

1. The implementation of a grant scheme for promoting measures to improve air quality in the borough be approved subject to applications meeting the criteria set out in the growth bid i.e.

·         Be related to either reducing emissions of, reducing exposure to or increasing awareness of air pollution

·         Be directly relevant to actions in our Air Quality Action Plan;

·         Have a measureable impact; and

·         Have wider community benefits. 

2. That the Corporate Director, Place, or to any officer nominated by him/her, be delegated authority to make grant awards in accordance with the scheme criteria in 1 above, provided that the totality of the grants made does not exceed the available funding for grants.
3. That quarterly reports be made to the Grants Determination Sub-Committee on grants awarded and outcome monitoring.

4. That authorisation of the award of this grant be deferred to the financial years 2018/19 and 2019/20 from financial years 2017/18 and 2018/19 to enable committed monies to be allocated in preceding years.