(please note that the Lead Member cited on the face of the report was the Lead Member for a Clean and  Green Oxford  at the time it was written and signed off, in the previous Council year)

The Executive Director, Sustainable City, has submitted a report which seeks project approval to retrofit buses in Oxford with emissions reduction equipment, in the interest of improving air quality, following an award of  £1,662,930 from the Joint Air Quality Unit, DEFRA.

Recommendations:That the City Executive Board resolves to:

1.    Grant project approval for the bus retrofit programme outlined in this report; and

2.    Delegate to the Executive Director of Sustainable City, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 officer, the authority within the funding envelope provided by the Council to enter into appropriate agreements with :

a)      the Council’s bid partners; and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

b)    third parties required to deliver the project subject to their being selected under an appropriate procurement process.

The Executive Director, Sustainable City, had submitted a report which sought project approval to retrofit buses in Oxford with emissions reduction equipment, in the interest of improving air quality, following an award of  £1,662,930 from the Joint Air Quality Unit, DEFRA.

Cllr Hayes introduced the report. It was pleasing that the Council had been able to take advantage of the opportunity to access central government funding for the benefit of the City and its residents. The award of the funding and the resultant scheme should properly be regarded as a great success. Air pollution was a matter of great concern and any significant contribution to mitigating its harmful effects were to be welcomed. He paid tribute to the work of officers in bringing the scheme to fruition. The report’s recommendations were agreed subject to the addition of the Board Member for Safer, Greener Environment as a consultee in recommendation 2.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.         Grant project approval for the bus retrofit programme outlined in this report; and

2.         Delegate to the Executive Director of Sustainable City, in consultation with the: Board Member for Safer, Greener, Environment; Monitoring Officer and Section 151 officer, the authority within the funding envelope provided by the Council to enter into appropriate agreements with :

a)         the Council’s bid partners; and

b)         third parties required to deliver the project subject to their being selected under an appropriate procurement process.