Decision ref
0002 2023/24
Decision date
24/05/2023
Portfolio
Wellbeing, Culture & Heritage
Wards
Haydock, Newton-le-Willows East, Town Centre, West Park
Title
Acceptance of Air Quality Grant 2022-23; indoor air quality monitoring in St Helens & Warrington
Summary
The Councils Public Health and Environmental Health Team, with support from Torus, the Wellbeing Service and Edge Hill University, successfully applied for the DEFRA Air Quality Grant 2022-23 of £405,227 for a one year project for indoor air quality monitoring and a health promotion interventions to improve outcomes for children and with asthma in St Helens and Warrington who live in Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). St Helens Public Health Team (will provide £20K in additional funding)
Purpose
We already have the required permissions to accept the DEFRA grant. See link below for more information about the grant: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/107-million-in-funding-for-local-authorities-to-improve-air-quality.
The purpose of this report to seek sign off of the project plan and the spend against it. The project plan has been developed with partners and by using data and intelligance to identify the need and also to design the intervention. The project plan meets the criteria given by DEFRA which was sent to them in the initial application.
Background
The North-West, including St Helens and Warrington have some of the highest rates of deprivation and, in direct correlation, some of the lowest average life expectancy in
a number of wards compared to the national average.
Children in particular are spending more and more of their lives indoors, and the health impact of the air within our homes and schools needs to be taken seriously as a significant source of ill health.
Respiratory illnesses account for the majority of infections in children under 5 and are exacerbated by poor indoor air quality. Research shows 96% of homes have at least one type of indoor air quality (IAQ) issue ranging from excessive dust, high humidity or dangerous emissions from cleaning products / building materials. Children are more at risk, due to faster breathing rates and having developing lungs, along with adults with asthma and respiratory issues whilst people living in poverty are also more vulnerable as they are less likely to be able to take action to improve their indoor environment.
Project outcomes centre around improved respiratory health for young children and adults with asthma due to improved indoor air quality. The project will raise awareness of through targeted education and campaigns. The project will also raise awareness on domestic burning working with households in affected communities to understand any potential risk from the rising cost of living and fuel poverty thereby enabling more choice through access to information and relevant support.
The aim would be to build on and support a project already being run through the Beyond Programme and Torus Foundation; research and evaluation study of the Air Quality in Social Housing project.
This project focuses on families with children ages 0-5 in St Helens and Warrington in their worst areas of air quality. The aim is to focus on where air quality exceeding locations correspond to health heat maps which show high incidence of respiratory illness in young children. Families will be offered smart IAQ monitors which use sensors to detect the levels of humidity, temperature, volatile organic compounds and ambient pollutants. Participants will be alerted and empowered to take action through provision of advice relevant to issues detected. The project is to also include all children of all ages with asthma, children with poor asthma control and homes in areas with high-risk adults who suffer from Asthma.
We will deliver 500 health education interventions in households (200 of which will also receive an indoor air quality monitor) for people who suffer from asthma in poor areas of air quality and in areas of high deprivation.
The benefits of the project include:
• Improved levels of indoor air pollution from specific pollutants especially particulate matter (PM)
• Raise household awareness about air quality before and after an education session
• Change household behaviours towards practices such as domestic fuel burning
• Measure impact of targeted education and awareness on behaviour and people’s ability to improve their indoor air quality
• Improve asthma related outcomes in the households as reported by patients and/or clinicians
The existing technology will be enhanced through developing a networked digital learning system which will identify neighbourhood trends. These trends will be reviewed by a regular Air Quality Task & Finish Group to identify and agree actions, which might be health related, link to outdoor air quality initiatives or be used by the Social Housing provider to inform maintenance and development plans to ensure improved IAQ across housing stock.
Findings from the evaluation may also be used to inform care within hospitals, and the way we inform care around children with respiratory disease.
Conclusion
It is a good news story that St Helens is one of the areas to benefit from the DEFRA grant for local authorities to improve air quality. We have developed a project plan to enable the delivery, which we submitted to DEFRA in the application. Once this DED has been signed off we can deliver this one year project and monitor and evaluate its impact.
Risk Implications
We have included a project manager as part of the project and additional administration capacity.
Measures to Redress Risk
Implement project as per plan, including project and programme management, have multiagency steering group so issues can be identified and addressed quickly.
Declarations Of Interest
None
More information
Please contact Ruth du Plessis on 01744 671235
