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Row erupts over village air quality

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date29 June 2022
Publication titleHuddersfield Daily Examiner
They have accused the ruling Labour group of "playing politics with public health" over Calderdale Council Cabinet's refusal to grant AQMA status to West Vale and say their request to call-in the decision has been blocked but they do not intend to let the matter drop

However, Cabinet member for Climate Change and Resilience, Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said the item cannot be called in as it has already been discussed once at scrutiny. The Conservatives claim the reasons for not granting the status were "vague and lacking sufficient evidence". Coun Patient says the report was clearly evidenced and double-checked by an independent air quality consultant.

The Conservatives argue Cabinet making a point that car journeys are decreasing due to home working and there was an uptake in alternative modes of transport was evidence "primarily based upon pollutant monitoring from 2020, during the height of COVID-19 restrictions."

They also claim statements about an AQMA "not being a panacea" and that "Calderdale could not implement an AQMA as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) would not allow it"

made at the Cabinet meeting by Coun Patient are "inaccurate and misleading."

Coun Steven Leigh called the decision "incomprehensible and morally reprehensible" and went on to say "worst of all, it appears to be entirely politically motivated. No evidence has been provided to support their claims that air quality is improving in West Vale, and they do not want their evidence to be put before a Scrutiny Committee," he said.

"I believe that the decision not to declare an AQMA is because of a perceived risk to Labour's Local Plan, which would see over 600 additional homes built in the local area. How can Labour seriously claim that the number of...

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