The Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the Air Quality Action Plan, the Wandsworth Moves Together initiative, and the Committee's work programme. The committee noted the reports on the Air Quality Action Plan and Wandsworth Moves Together, and agreed to discuss the work programme offline.

Air Quality Action Plan Update

The committee noted the Air Quality Action Plan Update, which provided an update on air quality within the borough for 2024. Jason Andrews, air quality and contaminated land manager, explained that the report summarised the council's annual Air Quality Status Report (ASR) 2025, which had been approved by the GLA (Greater London Authority) and Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

Maria Vance, a principal air quality officer, gave a presentation on the monitoring of air quality, explaining that the council has a statutory duty to monitor air quality, and to declare an air quality management area (AQMA) and implement an air quality action plan where UK objectives are exceeded. She noted that in 2001, the council declared the whole of the borough an air quality management area, and the current air quality action plan was adopted in September 2023, using recommendations from the citizens' assembly.

Ms. Vance explained that air quality is monitored in three ways:

• Automatic monitoring stations, which have been refreshed and now include PM2.5¹ monitoring
• Diffusion tubes
• Breathe London nodes

Ms. Vance showed a snapshot of long-term trends on NO2², noting that Putney High Street, previously one of the most polluted areas in London, had seen a reduction in NO2 levels. She also presented a map showing the spread of the diffusion tube network across the borough.

Ruth Pates, an air quality ambassador, spoke about the school accreditation scheme, which is launching soon. She explained that the scheme offers schools a way of starting at their own pace, with an assessment from the air quality team, and allows them to get engaged with education and initiatives. Ms. Pates invited members of the committee to see and talk to the children who are involved with these programmes.

Mr. Andrews added that the scheme is the first of its kind, and there has been a lot of interest from other boroughs. He also noted that another area of focus is smoke control areas, and how to spread more awareness about emissions from traffic, smoke control and indoor air quality.

Key discussion points:

• Councillor Ethan Brooks raised concerns about the junction between West Hill and Merton Road, which is the only site that fails to meet the UK national air quality objective. Mr. Andrews responded that there are certain interventions that can be done, such as working with schools, ramping up anti-idling measures, and seeing if there are any snags in the road that are causing the traffic to stop running freely.
• Councillor Rex Osborne praised the progress on Putney High Street and stressed that the overall progress means that any remaining problematic areas need to be the focus. He also enquired about indoor air quality, particularly in the markets in Tooting. Mr. Andrews responded that there is a lot of work going on in the markets, with considerable extraction systems having been installed to improve the air quality. He added that the levels that were originally recorded have dropped significantly, and a report will be produced on this.
• Councillor James Jeffries asked about the frequency and timing of spikes in pollution on Putney High Street. Ms. Vance responded that the guidance is to monitor air quality over a period of a year, due to seasonal changes. She added that there is real-time monitoring available, and she is happy to share the data.
• Councillor Sarah Aps asked about the approach to construction, given the impact on air quality, and whether there were any additional powers that the council would like to have to improve air quality. She also asked whether the benefits of improving air quality reduce in scale as air quality improves. Mr. Andrews responded that Wandsworth is an exemplar with regards to Nine Elms, where there were significant problems with PM10, and the council made an investment in staffing to keep companies in check. He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) has set levels for air quality, and the council hopes to achieve the interim levels by the end of the action plan.
• Councillor Jonathan Cook asked about the proportions of pollutants coming from transport, heating of buildings, and commercial activities. Mr. Andrews responded that the latest London Inventory Emissions Model, from 2022, states that road transport is still an issue, as is construction.
• Councillor Sean Lawless asked about the difference in readings between two monitoring sites on Mitcham Road. Ms. Vance responded that NO2 drops off very quickly, so the distance from the source makes a big impact.
• Councillor Jamie Colclough asked about what else is being done with the accreditation with schools, other than school streets. Ms. Pates responded that the starting point is for the air quality team to do an audit, which gives the school a picture of what is happening inside the school, and helps them to pick what actions they want to take.

Wandsworth Moves Together - Year 1 Update and Future Outlook

The committee noted the Wandsworth Moves Together - Year 1 Update and Future Outlook report. Mark Fisher, interim head of leisure and contracts for Richmond and Wandsworth, introduced the report, which outlined achievements to date, set out the Year 2 Action Plan, and reaffirmed the council's commitment to making Wandsworth one of the most active and equitable boroughs in London.

Harry Geffens, sports development partnership manager for Wandsworth, presented the Year 1 achievements, highlighting the Women and Girls Working Group, the new Football Foundation play zones, and the new contracts with leisure providers. He also presented data on Parkrun in Battersea Park, and Access for All.

Laura Bassett, who has been working on Alton Community Wellbeing, spoke about her work on the Alton Estate, meeting with residents and local providers to discuss their needs. She noted that she had invested in local leaders to deliver activities to groups of people they know want to do something, and had created a directory of local activities. She also undertook two pilots: intensive swimming at Ibstock Place Private School, and a couch to 5K pilot.

Michael Wood, the leisure, sports, and physical activity officer for Wandsworth Council, introduced the Community Sport and Physical Activity Network (C-SPAN) and the Year 2 Action Plan Focuses. He explained that the C-SPAN was launched with a joint event alongside Richmond, and it looks at a whole system and partnership approach. He noted that the Wandsworth Moves Together year two has a clear focus on access and inclusion, ensuring that all residents, regardless of age, ability, or background, can benefit from an active lifestyle.

Key discussion points:

• Councillor Sarah Aps asked about the Women and Girls Task Force, and whether there would be hard data on the improvements in women and girls' participation in different sports and activities. Mr. Geffens responded that the task and finish group have been significant in the plans, and the council is launching a women and girls only grant focused on women and girls activity across the borough.
• Councillor Rex Osborne requested an update on the removal of no ball game signs from council estates, and raised concerns about physical access to the Tooting Leisure Centre due to cars parked on the pavement.
• Councillor Jonathan Cook asked about the behavioural change principles informing the work on the Alton Estate. Ms. Bassett responded that they looked at the co-model - capacity, opportunity and motivation - and tried to create access to opportunities by connecting with residents' internal drivers.
• Councillor James Jeffries asked for support for women's teams across the union, and raised the issue of Hotham Primary School in Thamesfield Ward, which has a dilapidated building in their playground that would make an excellent space for the community.
• Councillor Aps asked about how the council is trying to tackle the issue of no-shows for Access for All events, given that many of the events are free. Mr. Geffens responded that they work closely with partners to ensure this, and most providers adopt their own policy scheme, such as not allowing people to book online if they don't attend a certain number of sessions.

Environment OSC Work Programme

The committee considered the Environment OSC Work Programme. Councillor Ethan Brooks raised the possibility of a financial paper coming in November, and asked for confirmation from the wider committee on whether they thought this would be useful.

Key discussion points:

• Councillor Jonathan Cook endorsed the idea of a financial paper, noting that the two main papers discussed at the meeting were devoid of financial information.
• Councillor Rex Osborne sought clarification on what kind of financial discussion was required, and suggested a deep dive into a number of areas, looking at the financial background to them.
• It was agreed that a more focused approach to financial papers would help officers to field questions.