Agenda item

The opportunity is given to members of the public to put questions to Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs provided that a question does not relate to:

·       Matters which are the subject of current or pending legal proceedings or

·       Matters relating to employees or former employees of the Council or comments in respect of individual Council Officers.

To ask a question at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Friday 18 March 2022 or telephone 01452 396203 for support.

90.1      A Gloucester resident asked the following question:

How can you justify your commitment to tackling climate change by spending an extra £100m, causing exposure to immediate particular matter impacting lungs, brains, hearts, eyes locally in the context of nationally estimated deaths of 40000 a year and what are the levels of extra carbon emissions (figures required please scope 1-3); this spending on new roads in the light of your alleged active travel policy for walking and cycling is five times the spend on cycling of £20m, segregated cycling lanes and living streets worth walking down can cut the under three miles commute by 50% of those travelling to work. Building road means more motorised traffic and pollution and CO2 plus electric vehicles still emit PMs via break dust and tyre wear?

90.2      Councillor Cook noted that responsibility with highways and therefore road building sat with the County Council and acknowledged that the City Council had responsibility for monitoring air pollution – the threshold for action having not been met. He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to acting on climate change and suggested the questioner raise this matter with the County Council.