Climate Change and Air Quality Progress Report 2022 to 2023

An Automated Meter Reading (AMR) meter captures and transmits accurate meter readings to energy suppliers on a monthly basis, with some meters reporting far more often (e.g. every half hour). This provides consumers, such as the Council, with far more granular data which helps improve the monitoring and analyses of gas and electricity consumption across our estate.

We have been managing a roll out of AMR meters across our gas and electricity supplies to enable the realisation of these benefits. Another advantage is that the AMR’s reduce the burden of taking manual meter readings, saving valuable officer time which can be invested in other areas of work. Finally, the AMR meters eliminate the need for estimating energy consumption which improves billing accuracy and data accuracy for carbon emissions reporting (see Objective A).

Of the 401 non-half hourly (not automatic) electricity meters that are AMR compatible, 295 have been upgraded to AMR.

Of our 275 gas meters, 245 have been upgraded, representing 89% of the total.

The council’s Strategic Environmental Protection Team, in conjunction with Spelthorne Borough Council and Ricardo, was awarded a grant of £91,273 from Defra’s Air Quality Grant in 2021/22 to create air quality toolkits which will be provided to each community board area within Buckinghamshire. To coincide with Clean Air Day on 15th June, Buckinghamshire launched a new initiative called ‘Clean Up Our Air.’

The air quality toolkits provide participating Community Boards with materials to enable them, local schools and organisations to carry out campaigns and to raise awareness of local air quality issues. Included will be access to the use of one air quality sensor per community board area, campaign materials, advice, and toolkits on how to run campaigns.

The results from the sensors will help to illustrate and monitor the impact of campaigns carried out during the year. The toolkits will also improve participants’ knowledge about air quality and educate on what steps individuals can take to reduce their exposure to air pollution.

The team have also been attending community board meetings to introduce the ‘Clean Up Our Air’ initiative.

To learn more about the Clean Up Our Air Initiative and Air Quality, visit Buckinghamshire Council’s Air Quality webpage.

In December 2022 the NO2 diffusion tube monitoring locations present throughout the county were reviewed. This is completed annually to establish if any additional monitoring points are required where there is the potential for breaches of the national air quality objectives to occur. This may be following significant developments such as new housing or new road schemes within the county or from an increase in observed levels of traffic.

The diffusion tube monitoring data collected is also reviewed. Where significant data exists to show there are low levels of pollution present and that there will be no breaches in the national air quality objectives, that monitoring may be closed, and the diffusion tube moved to a new monitoring location. A map showing the NO2 diffusion tube monitoring locations can be found on the air quality pages of our website.

The submission of an Annual Status Report (ASR) is a statutory requirement under the Local Air Quality Management Framework as set out in Part IV of the Environment Act (1995) and the relevant Policy and Technical Guidance documents. The report provides an annual review of air quality, the results of all air quality monitoring undertaken and outlines the actions the council has taken in the previous calendar year to improve air quality within the county.

The latest Annual Status Report (ASR) for Buckinghamshire was submitted to Defra on 30th June 2023. The report is available to view on the air quality pages of our website.