About the Sussex Air Quality Partnership (SAQP)

The Sussex Air Quality Partnership promotes improvements in air quality related issues in Sussex. The partnership provides assistance to members and information to the public via this web-site with recent air quality data, news updates, educational resources, links and other services such as airAlert.

The partnership was formed in 1995 as a response both to Central Government, who had produced a document "Air Quality: Meeting the Challenge", and to do more local work looking at air quality in Sussex.

Membership

The partnership is made up from representatives from City, Borough and District Councils in East and West Sussex, East and West Sussex County Councils, the Sussex Health Protection Agency, Sussex Primary Care Trusts, the Environment Agency, the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton.

Read more about the SAQP members

Guiding principle

To promote and encourage the improvement of air quality throughout Sussex; to protect public health, quality of life and the environment.

Aims

• To maximise the opportunities for improving air quality throughout Sussex.
• To engage in the and respond to the development of local, regional, UK and EU air quality related legislation and strategies.
• To provide a framework for dealing with Sussex air quality issues in partnership with regional stakeholders.
• To ensure air quality is fully considered by public authorities when carrying out their functions and duties.
• To encourage air quality to be considered by residents, businesses and organisations when making decisions about their behaviour.
• To promote the importance of air quality as a determinant of public health and well being.
• To integrate air quality more widely into sustainability and climate change policies.

Objectives

In line with these aims, the Partnership has adopted the following objectives.

• Sussex-air will support local authorities in their duties under Local Air Quality Management by:
  • Continuing to engage the services of a suitably qualified and experienced project officer.
  • Providing, through the project officer, air quality information, technical consultancy, project support and training.
  • Continuing to negotiate centralised contracts for services, such as air quality data, forecasting, quality control and assurance of data.
• Developing and maintaining an Emissions Inventory for Sussex.
• Sussex-air will promote air quality by:
  • Maintaining the Sussex-air website to a recognised high standard.
  • Responding to national and regional consultation on air quality issues.
• Improving and expanding the airAlert service for persons sensitive to air pollution episodes.
• Developing an annual business plan of the Partnership's activities to be presented before and agreed by the Sussex Chief EHOs.
• Providing an air quality perspective on issues of national policy, such as climate change.
• Organising an annual seminar on air quality-related topics.
• Sussex-air will provide a framework for partnership working by:
  • Arranging at least 6 meetings for member's throughout the year.
  • Exploring and developing opportunities for air quality projects and funding involving members and other organisations, including those from the EU.
  • Representing the Partnership at relevant meetings, seminars and conferences.