The Sub Committee considered the Zero Emissions Network Project Phase Tow presented by David Tolley (Head of Trading Standards and SC) and Selina Talukdar (Zero Emissions Project Officer).

David Tolley informed the Sub Committee of the following: -

·       The Zero Emissions Network (ZEN) Project is in Phase 2 covering the period April 2016 – March 2019;

·       The ZEN project is a partnership project between Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets Council to improve local air quality;

·       The project was awarded funding from the London Mayor’s Air Quality Fund (MAQF) and match funded by the respective boroughs;

·       In April 2016 the project secured £300,000 in the second round of MAQF to continue the project into Phase 2 until March 2019;

·       The total size of the MAQF grant allocation for Phase 2 of the ZEN in Tower Hamlets is £100,000;

·       Businesses are invited to apply for grant funding from the project of up to a maximum of £2000 to implement reduction measures such as installing cycle racks to encourage staff to travel sustainably;

·       The project is managed and delivered by the ZEN Senior Project Officer and 3 supporting staff based in Hackney;

·       The measure of success for the project is based on what is achieved;

·       A Progress report will be submitted at the end of the financial year and at the end of the project;

·       Tower Hamlets is declared an Air Quality Management Area under the UK Air Quality Strategy as it exceeds targets for 2 human health related pollutants (Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulate Matter); and

·       The Council is implementing a business engagement programme in Spitalfields & Banglatown, Weavers and Whitechapel areas called ZEN.

The Sub Committee welcomed measures to tackle air quality in the borough, which has recently been highlighted as being particularly poor.

Councillor Harrisson enquired about the impact of the cross borough working, how the success of the project will be measured and how many businesses had been engaged and noted that a third of the budget over the three boroughs (LBTH, Hackney, and Islington) went on staffing and was therefore keen to hear about the wider role of the Officer employed to manage this initiative.

David Tolley informed the Sub Committee that based upon the nature of the project it was difficult to measure the successes as the project was based upon air quality.

Selina Talukdar informed the Sub Committee that the staff costs involved all 3 officers across all 3 boroughs, with the Lead Project Officer being based at Hackney Council. She also commented that all 3 project officers were involved in engaging with businesses, staff training, case studies and evaluating data. Up to 300 businesses in Tower Hamlets have been contacted and offered support with awards, registrations, social media, website building and press releases relating to the project. There are pop-up events across the borough and bike repair workshops and electric vehicles and bicycle promotions as well.

The Sub Committee enquired about the measureable impacts on the borough’s air quality from the Phase One initiatives and wanted assurance that Phase Two was not a duplication of effort, considering the area covered is the same as in Phase One.

The Committee were assured to hear that initiatives and activities on reducing poor air quality in other areas of the borough will be included in the Council’s Air Quality Action Plan.

Margherita De Cristofano enquired about the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark and whether it had been exceeded and also if the air quality in the borough had improved since Phase 1.

Dave Tolley informed the Sub Committee that an Annual Average is calculated and this information can be found on the London Air website, but it is calculated against those affected and are vulnerable in walking areas of London. Text messages and a BBC alert is usually despatched when the air quality is very poor. He also stated that it is very difficult to measure as the air quality does not recognise borough boundaries and information is collated based upon small changes in the air quality.

The Chair, Councillor Mukit commented that the project focussed on specific areas to the North and East of the Borough and enquired if there was anything in the pipeline to work on the South and the West of the borough.

David Tolley informed the Sub Committee that the Air Quality Action Plan for Tower Hamlets was being presented to the Mayor’s Advisory Board in a week’s time and there were 57 action plans included that involved schools, projects and other educational programmes across the borough with a public consultation.

The Chair, Councillor Mukit enquired if this is all part of a joined up strategy so that all areas in the borough would be considered.

David Tolley informed the Sub Committee that it was a joined up strategy and that information was fed back to the Greater London Authority (GLA) and any issues highlighted would be looked into.

The Sub Committee agreed, to: -

1.     Endorse the recommendations.

2.     Request that a copy of the ZEN Project 1 Evaluation sent to the GLA be circulated to the Sub Committee.

3.     Request that any case study reports relating to “electric vehicles” be made available to the Sub Committee.