The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Resolved: that the minutes be approved as a correct record, subject to an amendment to item 11. LCC Cabinet Member (Highways and Transport) – ‘At the request of members, it was agreed that there would be further and more frequent communication, contact and attendance by the Highways officers in relation to town centre issues and concerns (rather than Cabinet Member). 

Matt Evans, Climate Change & Air Quality Officer, will attend to introduce a Carbon Literacy training course for Town and Parish Councils and an Air Quality monitoring survey on Citizenspace.

1)      The Carbon Literacy Project have released a new course for Parish, Town and Community Councils aimed at councillors and officers. The course equips councillors and officers with the information they need to communicate the significance of climate change and achieve the change necessary in their local area to address the climate emergency. It covers the impacts of climate change, carbon footprints, how you can do your bit, and why it’s relevant to you and our communities.

This training complements work we’re rolling out at CBC level for Borough councillors and officers, but this new course is designed to be self-directed by Parish Councils themselves. More information can be found at: https://carbonliteracy.com/toolkits/local-authorities/

Two background documents are attached.

2)      Chorley Council monitors Air Quality across various locations in the Borough. The locations are determined by several factors such as area traffic data and the proximity to residential dwellings. In 2023 we monitored Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) at 42 locations, in addition we have automatic Particulate Matter monitors co-located at 3 locations. We want our data to be as accurate as possible and are seeking input from residents to support our consideration of new or additional monitoring locations, as part of our continued commitment to keeping the air in the Borough clean and safe. The Citizenspace survey will allow you to see our current monitoring locations, and provides an opportunity for you to suggest other locations for consideration. https://yoursay.citizenspace.com/2022-environmental-health-and-community-safety-sr/chorley-air-quality-monitoring-2024

Matt Evans, Climate Change and Air Quality Officer, attended.

Carbon Literacy

The Carbon Literacy Project have released a new course for Parish, Town and Community Councils aimed at councillors and officers.  The course equipped councillors and officers with the information they needed to communicate the significance of climate change and achieve the change necessary in their local area to address the climate emergency.  It covered the impacts of climate change, carbon footprints, how residents could do their bit, and why it’s relevant to communities.

The training complemented work officers were rolling out for Borough councillors and officers, but the new course was designed to be self-directed by Parish Councils themselves. More information could be found at: https://carbonliteracy.com/toolkits/local-authorities/

Air Quality

The council monitored Air Quality across various locations in the Borough.  The locations were determined by several factors such as area traffic data and the proximity to residential dwellings.  In 2023 the council monitored Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) at 42 locations, in addition there was automatic Particulate Matter monitors co-located at 3 locations.  The council wanted the data to be as accurate as possible and were seeking input from residents to support consideration of new or additional monitoring locations, as part of the continued commitment to keeping the air in the Borough clean and safe.  The Citizenspace survey allowed residents to see current monitoring locations, and provides an opportunity for them to suggest other locations for consideration. https://yoursay.citizenspace.com/2022-environmental-health-and-community-safety-sr/chorley-air-quality-monitoring-2024

It was noted that real time monitoring would be in place in the future and available on the council’s website.  The purpose of the survey was to raise awareness and gather information on this. 

The question and response are enclosed within the agenda pack.  

Members of the Forum noted the response to the question had been included within the agenda. 

In order to allow members of the Liaison and members of the public to raise issues of local concern, a period of 20 minutes has been set aside.

A member of the public may speak for no more than 3 minutes.  Members of the public are not required to give notice of the issue they intend to raise, although it is expected in the case of service issues that the appropriate mechanisms for resolving the issue have been explored. 

Where a question is raised which cannot be answered at the meeting, a record will be kept by officers supporting the meeting and it will be responded to via the appropriate mechanism.

No questions were asked.

A schedule setting out deadlines for items to be requested on the agenda for the Chorley Liaison and dates for future meetings is enclosed. 

Ian Horsfield requested an item for a future meeting regarding the future plans for Chorley bus station.