A TOWN council motion has passed to set up an Air Quality Group in Middlewich.

The motion, led by Cllr Bill Walmsley, Middlewich First, is to be set up to protect and improve the air quality in Middlewich following Chester Road being identified as a potential Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

Cllr Walmsley said: “The purpose of this group would be to report back on to the town council and provide local knowledge about changes that occur.

“It is important to note that this is not a campaign group but one to work with Cheshire East Council to ensure a healthy environment for all residents.

“I believe it would be very beneficial.”

National air quality standards detail that NO2 levels in an area must be below 40mg, and all local authorities are required to carry out a review and assessment of standards.

Areas such as Chester Road and Lewin Street have been monitored for a long time, but figures have to be consistently high to be designated an AQMA.

Based on figures from a Freedom of Information request made to Cheshire East Council, air quality in Lewin Street has a mean average of 42.29mg based on 32 tests between 2013-16

Cheshire East Council responded by saying that the figures presented to them were not ratified, and that they were awaiting the accurate, nationally-adjusted figures for 2016 before a decision would be made on Lewin Street.

The motion was universally supported and Cllr Walmsley praised for the idea but the terms of the set-up of the group were put up for discussion.

Cllr Jonathan Parry, Labour, proposed an amendment to the motion to delay the set-up of the group to a later date.

He said: “I want to keep this with the council until the next meeting and request input from the Action Against Ansa group.

“As an elected member of the council I feel a responsibility to residents of Middlewich to make sure this is done properly and accurately.”

The amendment was later dropped when it was outlined that the council agreed on the motion and that there was no further reason to delay the group creation and details could be discussed at a later date.

The town council would also seek to enlist the help of Phil Mason, a senior enforcement officer at Cheshire East Council, who has helped to implement similar groups across the borough.

The suggested membership of the group would include four councillors and two stakeholders, members of the public who preferably live near either of the affected areas in Middlewich.