Minutes of Meeting on 8th September 2016
REHIS Offices, 19 Torphichen Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8HX
Minutes
PresentIris Whyte / Convenor/Dundee CC
Sharon Lindsay / Secretary/Central & West/Inverclyde
Michael McNaughton / Central & East Contaminated land/Clackmannanshire
Gareth Stewart / S&E Contaminated land/Scottish Borders Council
Russell Anderson / North/Moray
Linda Bradley / Central & East /Clackmannanshire
Neil Stirling / North Contaminated land/Aberdeen City
Lynn Crothers / S&E/Scottish Borders
Eleanor Pratt
David Duffy
Caroline Thornton
John Lamb / SEPA/Transport Scotland
REHIS
SEPA/Scottish Gov
SEPA
1 Introduction – Convener, Iris Whyte
The convenor welcomed all present to the third SPCCC meeting of the year.
2 Apologies- Andrew Taylor & Linda Story (Scottish gov), Gillian Flack (C&W con land), Bronah Byrne, Gavin Neilson(C&W), Anthony Carson (SoCOEH). (Geeta Puri (EPS) received after meeting.)
3. Minute of meeting held on 9th June 2016 checked for accuracy.
No amendments. Minutes were proposed by Linda Bradley, seconded by Caroline Thornton.
4 Matters arising from the minute and not appearing elsewhere on the agenda
4.1 Page 2 – Item 4.1 SEPA request re F-gas & Ozone depleting Substances Regs. There has been no further contact regarding this since our last meeting. Letters have been sent to CoSLA & SOLACE although Iris is aware that no letter has been received by Dundee City Council. It was decided to remove this from the agenda.
4.2 Page 2 – Item 4.2 Update on Wood-burning Stove Questionnaire. No examples of good practise have been sent to Secretary yet although they are being talked about at liaison groups. Decided to set deadline for Nov meeting.
4.3 Page 2- item 4.7. Replacement of Ruth McNeil of SEPA regarding Enhanced Air Quality Database Analysis tools. Eleanor advised that Ruth is not getting replaced & that Colin Gillespie from SEPA is lead on this now.
5. Contaminated Land Update.
5.1 Scottish gov & CLAG Caroline advised that the draft guidance for Section 45 has been completed. This will allow the removal of previously contaminated sites & special sites from the register. The next step is for this to go to the Legal Section of Scottish gov. Amendments will also be required to the contaminated land regulations. Consultation will then take place externally (& LA’s will be consulted informally prior to this.)
CLAG –Peer review has been done & IOM have proof read it but they haven’t got back to the group yet. It will go on website once completed.
5.2. SEPA Caroline advised that the Form A’s request for information are going on line with links to other information. Some information, for example, monitoring results would be available on request only. An information session on Radioactive contaminated land has been held for Planners. Progress is being made on River Basin Management Plans. Paragraph 19 waste exemptions are being updated. Contaminated land groups should already be aware of this.
5.3 LA Contaminated Land Sub Groups Central & West nothing specific raised.
North their last meeting was on 17th Aug. discussed river basin management plans & working with SEPA. Gas protection also discussed in relation to liaison with CLO’s & building standards officers & how they could work better. PPE in relation to asbestos sampling for shallow digging if asbestos is found above ground. M McNaughton advised that he had produced risk assessments for dealing with this situation although more site specific.
South East haven’t met since last SPCCC but due to meet in Oct. SEPA specialist will be giving a presentation.
Central & East Phase 1 reports discussed in relation to when to communicate with residents. Each LA deals with it differently & no general consensus was reached. MCERTS accreditation for labs most LA’s make a point of checking for this when looking at sample results. Lab procurement discussed. There was a training event by BGS for energy from waste mine water.
6. Air Quality
6.1/2 Scottish Gov/CAFS Eleanor gave an update as Andrew was not able to attend. S Gov have implemented a programme for introduction of a LEZ in Scotland .SNP manifesto has committed to having one in place by 2018. This is very challenging. CAFS governance group have been tasked with how to deliver this. There has been a meeting between CAFS governance & LA reps who were asked to provide comments on the feasibility of this. Transport Scotland are tasked with implementing the National Low Emission Framework (NLEF). Atkins have been issued with tender for this for tools for the pre appraisal stage for LEZ. Over next 8 weeks NLEF guidance will be formulated. NLEF steering group will consist mostly of transport but will also require Environmental health involvement. EDAR testing of tailpipe emissions being trialled at present.
Discussion was opened up by Convenor. LEZ has been sprung on LA’s. There are implications for procurement, political buy in. Also local elections next year. What will LEZ look like etc. One proposal has been to look at bus operators however there needs to be a lot more discussion first. As well as CAFS we still have LAQM responsibilities & with limited resources. This is the first time that there has been full Political buy in for improving air quality.
Eleanor continued with other CAFS updates. National Modelling Framework (NMF) moving ahead well. There is a local & regional NMF. There is a peer review of the Aberdeen project delivered in Sept & a meeting to discuss points raised. Each city modelling group is well developed. Enhanced Air Quality tools has been put back to October as Ruth McNeil is not being replaced.
Climate Change Sub Group is chaired by James Curran. Report being submitted to S Gov re this by end of October.
A workshop is to be held with Planners on how to implement CAFS in local development plans. SEPA have developed an air quality package for Planners.
6.3 LA Liaison group updates Central & West. Nothing of note to report. Glasgow Scientific Services attend our meetings however they wanted to know if this was really of benefit both to LA’s & themselves. On discussion around the table it appears that ours is the only group that has a laboratory representation.
North nothing really apart from items on the agenda which will be addressed later.
South & East They had a meeting last week. Edinburgh are undergoing a review of service structure so not represented at meeting. LAQM is being transferred to Planning & 2 EHO’s have moved there. East Lothian have developed an action plan in relation to AQMA. Eco stars scheme has been developed. Nox levels are lower this year. Mid Lothian are reviewing their diffusion tube locations & decommissioning an analyser. West Lothian have an action plan for Linlithgow. Supplementary Planning guidance is being developed. Falkirk have appointed a new AQ specialist. SO2 levels are monitored in Grangemouth but there has been no increase in levels.
Central & East Fife are having problems with dust nuisance. Clacks are moving a monitoring station. Dundee are having issues with hospital who are using back up diesel generators when the equipment breaks down. Iris advised that there is a possible EMAQ course on diesel generators planned. Clacks used a consultant to do their progress report but they used the old template. There was also a general discussion on energy from waste.
6.4 Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership John advised that the annual conference is on 3rd Nov 2016 at CoSLA offices. Topics include a CAFS update, number plate study in Aberdeen, sustainable transport. Event is aimed at Planners & Transport.
John also advised that as the annual Progress reports were being submitted later each year this was the reason for sending out the letters to LA’s with the timescales for submission of reports. 27 out of 32 LA’s managed to submit their reports within timeframe. Levels of NO2 appear to be falling. 3 sites have dropped below 40 microgrammes as a result of traffic management systems. Issue was raised again about getting ratified data to LA’s more timeously. It was agreed that a Thank You letter should be sent to those LA’s that had submitted on time.
7. Biomass, including particulate issues.
7.1 CHP associated with anaerobic digestion systems of biomass systems. any experience /guidance(other than EPUK). Russell raised this query on behalf of Joe May from Aberdeenshire. Consensus at meeting was that most use EPUK. Scottish Borders get a lot of applications for anaerobic digesters on farms. There has to be a 200m boundary between plant & receptor.
7.2. Possible speaker for presentation at HPN event Sharon advised that HPN are running a seminar in Nov & one of topics is biomass. Geeta Puri is giving a presentation on biomass however Martin McNab thought that it would be benefitial to hear from an enforcement point of view & is looking for a volunteer to speak at event. Possible speakers suggested were: Kirsty Steven form Perth & Kinross, David Brewster West Lothian. They have an AQMA in Newton based on particulates from biomass. Ann Connolly gave a talk to Public health update on biomass. Steve Thomson from Angus has issues in his area with biomass.
8. REHIS update David advised as follows: REHIS Annual Awards and EH update /AGM 17th & 18th November Grass Market Edinburgh. Professor Kofi Adoo steps down as President and Drew Hall (former REHIS rep on SPCCC) takes up role.
Pollution Update Course. David Duffy stepping down as Chair of REHIS Southern Centre so hopefully free up some time to kick start the Pollution Update Course plan is to deliver early next year (2017). David will contact the Regional Secretaries (Pollution Liaison Groups) and Chairs to request if anyone wishes to be involved in bringing the Update together. David acting as the conduit for the first event. Looking for volunteers and guest speakers. (email david.duffy:southlanarkshire.gov.uk)
Terms of Reference of each of REHIS subgroups (SPCCC, PH&H & HASCOG) are being reviewed and update currently.
9/9/16 Northern Centre Training morning, Roadshow and AGM thereafter. 16/9/16 Southern Centre (Wider Public Health Training Event) Roadshow and AGM thereafter. Revised Learning By Experience (Student Training manual has been update and agreed by Council). John Sleith will be engaging with the various Local Authorities and Students on their training paths in due course.
9. SoCOEH Update. no update available.
10. Environmental Protection Scotland Update. No update available.
11. Noise Update/Antisocial behaviour
11.1 Scottish Gov. Iris read an update received from Linda as follows: (i) First meeting of SENSG under round 3 mapping and action planning on 24 August. (ii) First meeting of the group to take forward an update of the ASBA noise guidance will take place next week. (iii) Contractor appointed by CXC to take forward a scoping study on how Local Authorities approach noise from 3 renewable technologies, wind turbines, air source heat pumps and hydro. To include planning and EHOs. Iris will check with Linda that she had feedback from LA’s on attending the ASBA meeting.
11.2 LA liaison group update. Central West. Only noise issue discussed was problems with a shipyard working through night.
North Distilleries are expanding & are putting in water treatment works with pumps running through the night causing complaints.
South East Edinburgh night noise team finishes in Dec. Standby service is under review. Music is Audible organisation is discussing audibility in licenced premises within Edinburgh City. East Lothian has served a notice on a malting plant & an anaerobic digester. Midlothian have received a noise report from Network Rail under Waverley Act in relation to the new Borders railway. Abatement notice served on the barking dog has expired. West Lothian have a flatted development near a night club. Borders have a nosie issue on Borders railway at Tweedbank with cleaning of trains through night & also trains being started at 0430 & engines running until they leave at 0530. Environmental Health had meeting with Network rail & Scot rail re this. Meanwhile the complainer sold his property. Falkirk night noise team have finished. New Council houses have been built next to industrial site with complaint received re low hum & vibration. Company called INVC which offer low cost solutions to noise problems have been employed. Apparantly they are well rated by SEPA.
Central & East Angus have a new noise meter for gathering evidence in dog barking cases. They received an assessment for a 5 aside complex but are having problems with players shouting/swearing. Fife are having issues with vehicle movements at an industrial facility. Clacks have purchased a new noise meter. Dundee are involved in 3rd round of noise mapping. Perth are having a Norsonics training day in Dec. Stirling have a new flatted development with bedrooms facing onto a night club. Personal trainer doing classes in public parks at 0630am.
11.3. Air Source Heat Pumps PDR no issues to report.
11.4 Domestic Noise SPI Lynn raised this. In Borders they send a noise diary for barking dogs & do not visit. Domestic SPI had gone form 60% to zero as they do not visit some complaints.
11.5 Serving Notice on your own local authority Brian Carmichael had raised this as they have a problem with a a council venue being used for weddings. Feedback at SPCCC was that in this type of situation the issue is resolved in house & there is no need to serve notice.