Response A1346706

Response to request for information

Response date

4 April 2022

Request

1. How many burning complaints relating to poor air quality have you received both domestic and business in a one mile radius of post code LE12 5NA since 1 January 2015.
2. How many burning warnings to residents and businesses has the council issued within this stated area and time frame.
3. How many fines and prosecutions has the council instigated in this stated area and time frame?
4. Have the above burning complaints increased or decreased in this area and over this time frame.
5. Given the many reports aware of and that local residents were evacuated from their homes due to a massive industrial fire at Hathernware industrial estate in 2018 why hasn't an AQMA been put in place at this post code.

Response

1. How many burning complaints relating to poor air quality have you received both domestic and business in a one mile radius of post code LE12 5NA since 1 January 2015.
   
   • 25. Our systems do not record / export data in a way that allows us to provide this information. Instead I have provided data post 1.1.2015 for the parish of Sutton Bonington.
2. How many burning warnings to residents and businesses has the council issued within this stated area and time frame.
   • I am unclear what you mean by burning warnings as no such thing exists in law.
3. How many fines and prosecutions has the council instigated in this stated area and time frame?
   • 0
4. Have the above burning complaints increased or decreased in this area and over this time frame.
   • I have included the data below for you to make your own conclusions.
     • 2015 - 1
     • 2016 - 3
     • 2017 - 4
     • 2018 - 2
     • 2019 - 2
     • 2020 - 4
     • 2021 – 7
     • 2022 - 2
5. Given the many reports aware of and that local residents were evacuated from their homes due to a massive industrial fire at Hathernware industrial estate in 2018 why hasn't an AQMA been put in place at this post code.
   • AQMA's are not used for dealing with bonfires. Other legislative powers are in place for that purpose. The following is the from the UK Government’s website regarding AQMA’s:
     Since December 1997 each local authority in the UK has been carrying out a review and assessment of air quality in their area. This involves measuring air pollution and trying to predict how it will change in the next few years. The aim of the review is to make sure that the national air quality objectives will be achieved throughout the UK by the relevant deadlines. These objectives have been put in place to protect people's health and the environment. If a local authority finds any places where the objectives are not likely to be achieved, it must declare an Air Quality Management Area there. This area could be just one or two streets, or it could be much bigger. Then the local authority will put together a plan to improve the air quality - a Local Air Quality Action Plan.