Since 1997 local authorities across the country have been engaged in a process of review and assessment of local air quality. This process was set in motion by Central Government through its National Air Quality Strategy (revised in the year 2007), which set targets for eight pollutants, seven of which fall to local authorities to control.

The review and assessment of air quality forms the first stage of the air quality management process and has two principal objectives:

• To identify local areas where the air quality objectives will not be met
• To ensure that air quality considerations are integrated into local authorities' decision making processes, such as land use planning and traffic management

Local Air Quality management: the phased approach to review and assessment (2009)

The policy and technical guidance document (TG09) for local authorities undertaking air quality assessments from DEFRA and the devolved administrations maintains the phased approach to review and assessment established in previous technical guidance. The intention is that local authorities should only undertake a level of assessment that is commensurate with the risk of an air quality objective being exceeded. Not every authority will, therefore, need to proceed beyond the first step in future rounds of review and assessment.

Timescales of review and assessment

LAQM Activity	Completion Date	Which authorities?
Updating and Screening Assessment	30 April 2009	All authorities
Detailed Assessment	30 April 2010	Those authorities which have identified the need for one in their April 2009 Updating and Screening Assessment
Progress Report	30 April 2010	All authorities
Progress Report	30 April 2011	All authorities
Updating and Screening Assessment	30 April 2012	All authorities
Detailed Assessment	30 April 2013	Those authorities which have identified the need for one in their April 2012 Updating and Screening Assessment
Progress Report	30 April 2013	All authorities
Progress Report	30 April 2014	All authorities
Updating and Screening Assessment	30 April 2015	All authorities
Detailed Assessment	30 April 2016	Those authorities which have identified the need for one in their April 2015 Updating and Screening Assessment
Progress Report	30 April 2016	All authorities
Progress Report	30 April 2017	All authorities
Level of Assessment	Objective	Approach

Ref: DEFRA (TG09) 2009.

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Updating and Screening Assessments

The first step of the review and assessment process is an Updating and Screening Assessment, which is to be undertaken by all authorities. This is based on a checklist to identify those matters that have changed since the previous round was completed, and which may now require further assessment. This updating and screening assessment should cover: new monitoring data; new objectives; new sources or significant changes to existing sources, either locally or in neighbouring authorities; and other local changes that might affect air quality.

Detailed Assessments

Where the Updating and Screening Assessment has identified a risk that an air quality objective will be exceeded at a location with relevant public exposure, the authority will be required to undertake a Detailed Assessment following the guidance. The aim of this Detailed Assessment should be to identify with reasonable certainty whether or not a likely exceedence will occur.

Where a likely exceedence is identified, then the assessment should be sufficiently detailed to determine both its magnitude and geographical extent. Local authorities should not declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) unless a Detailed Assessment has been completed.

Progress Reports

Progress Reports are intended to maintain continuity in the LAQM process, and fill in the gaps between the three-yearly cycle of review and assessment. Progress Reports are required in all years when the authority is not completing an Updating and Screening Assessment.

Further Assessments

Once a new AQMA has been declared, the local authority is required to complete a Further Assessment within 12 months of designating the AQMA.

The Further Assessment is intended to supplement the information provided in the Detailed Assessment. It should aim to confirm the exceedence of the objectives; define what improvement in air quality, and corresponding reduction in emissions is required to attain the objectives; and provide information on source contributions.

The latter will provide useful information for the development of the Air Quality Action Plan, and assist in the targeting of appropriate measures.