This Council is deeply concerned by the Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan report, presented to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), on 25 June 2021 by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The Council Notes:

-        The Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is 493sqm which includes every district in GM.

-        TfGM in July 2021 stated a database sourced from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimated that approximately at present 90% of non-compliant LGV’s in Greater Manchester, are not retrofittable.

-        TfGM estimates that in 2023 there will be 75,000 non-compliant LGV’s based in GM out of a total fleet of 136,000 LGV’s.

-        The Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan report was approved by all GM districts and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s plan for Clean Air during July 2021.

-        The Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan impacts tens of thousands of small businesses and charities within GM in addition to thousands who are based outside of the GM region but operate within the GM region contributing to the £62 billion economy.

-        The 9 GM Conservative MPs wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs urging a delay to the rollout of the CAZ for further consultation.

The Council resolves:

-        That the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the GMCA Chief Executive requesting that a joint scrutiny committee be established to initiate an independent investigation into GM Clean Air Final Plan.

-        That the findings of the investigation must be scrutinised by the newly formed GMCA Committee prior to recommendations being submitted to the GMCA and GM districts.

-        That each of the GM districts will review the findings of the report via their internal scrutiny mechanisms i.e. Executive/Cabinet, Council and the relevant scrutiny panels.

Further to the adjournment at the previous meeting of the Council held on 26 January 2022, the Mayor sought the meeting’s acceptance of the Motion, as altered and set out on the Summons, to which the Council signified consent for the altered Motion to be put.

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council is deeply concerned by the Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan report, presented to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), on 25 June 2021 by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The Council Notes:

-         The Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is 493sqm which includes every district in GM.

-         TfGM in July 2021 stated a database sourced from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimated that approximately at present 90% of non-compliant LGV’s in Greater Manchester, are not retrofittable.

-         TfGM estimates that in 2023 there will be 75,000 non-compliant LGV’s based in GM out of a total fleet of 136,000 LGV’s.

-         The Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan report was approved by all GM districts and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s plan for Clean Air during July 2021.

-         The Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan impacts tens of thousands of small businesses and charities within GM in addition to thousands who are based outside of the GM region but operate within the GM region contributing to the £62 billion economy.

-         The 9 GM Conservative MPs wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs urging a delay to the rollout of the CAZ for further consultation.

The Council resolves:

-         That the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the GMCA Chief Executive requesting that a joint scrutiny committee be established to initiate an independent investigation into GM Clean Air Final Plan.

-         That the findings of the investigation must be scrutinised by the newly formed GMCA Committee prior to recommendations being submitted to the GMCA and GM districts.

-         That each of the GM districts will review the findings of the report via their internal scrutiny mechanisms i.e. Executive/Cabinet, Council and the relevant scrutiny panels.”

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

“This Council is deeply concerned that the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan as presentedby the Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan report, presented to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), on 25 June 2021 by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has become unworkable due to issues in the global supply chain exacerbated by the pandemic.

The Council Notes:

-         The Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is 493sqm which includes every district in GM.

-         TfGM in July 2021 stated a database sourced from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimated that approximately at present 90% of non-compliant LGV’s in Greater Manchester, are not retrofittable.

-         TfGM estimates that in 2023 there will be 75,000 non-compliant LGV’s based in GM out of a total fleet of 136,000 LGV’s.

-         The Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan report was approved by all GM districts and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s plan for Clean Air during July 2021.

-         The Greater Manchester Clean Air Final Plan impacts tens of thousands of small businesses and charities within GM in addition to thousands who are based outside of the GM region but operate within the GM region contributing to the £62 billion economy.

-         The 9 GM Conservative MPs wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs urging a delay to the rollout of the CAZ for further consultation.

The Council resolves:

-         That the Chief Executive of the Council to write to the GMCA Chief Executive and - as development of a Clean Air Plan for the 10 boroughs is a district function - the 9 other GM Chief Executives proposingrequesting that a joint scrutiny committee be established to initiate an independent investigation into GM Clean Air Final Plan to enable effective scrutiny of work undertaken towards development of a Clean Air Plan for Greater Manchester. This Committee may choose to request that an independent investigation is undertaken into previous versions of the Clean Air Plan, but we recognise this would be a decision for the Committee itself.

-         That the findings of the investigation must be scrutinised by the newly formed GMCA Committee prior to recommendations being submitted to the GMCA and GM districts.

-         That each of the GM districts will review the findings of the report via their internal scrutiny mechanisms i.e. Executive/Cabinet, Council and the relevant scrutiny panels.”

Following a debate on the matter, the amendment was put to the vote and declared carried. The Council continued to debate the substantive Motion before it was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: This Council is deeply concerned that the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan as presented on 25 June 2021 has become unworkable due to issues in the global supply chain exacerbated by the pandemic.

The Council resolves:

-         That the Chief Executive of the Council write to the GMCA Chief Executive and - as development of a Clean Air Plan for the 10 boroughs is a district function - the 9 other GM Chief Executives proposing that a joint scrutiny committee be established to enable effective scrutiny of work undertaken towards development of a Clean Air Plan for Greater Manchester. This Committee may choose to request that an independent investigation is undertaken into previous versions of the Clean Air Plan, but we recognise this would be a decision for the Committee itself.