Richmond Council has raised 'grave concerns' after ministers withdrew £1 million in funding to tackle air pollution in the borough.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told local authorities in April that funding for the local air quality grant scheme, which it pledged in February, had been scrapped for the 2023/24 financial year.

The Lib Dem-run council said the sudden withdrawal of the 'crucial' £1m grant has 'pulled the rug from under' plans to improve air quality in important hotspots, including Richmond and Twickenham town centres.

It was set to help fund the authority's upcoming air quality action plan for 2024/25. The council added it has not been told when funding might become available again.

The local air quality grant scheme has awarded nearly £92m to councils since 1997. This includes funding for projects to improve local air quality and raise awareness about the risks of air pollution.

The council said recent air quality monitoring has revealed 'stubborn areas' in Richmond where air quality exceeds 'acceptable levels', including Richmond and Twickenham town centres and a corridor around the A316 which affects local primary schools.

The authority's transport and air quality committee will discuss the findings in more detail in an upcoming meeting.

It comes after Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson quizzed environment minister Sir Mark Spencer on the decision to scrap funding for the local air quality grant scheme on May 9.

She said: "With the number of areas in Twickenham breaching air quality standards, including close to schools, and with WHO [World Health Organisation] targets becoming ever more stringent, how does the minister think he is meeting his commitment to expand resources available to councils to improve air quality?"

Sir Spencer said Defra wants to 'continue to make progress and support local authorities' but had concerns the local air quality grant scheme 'was not delivering the most positive outcomes, and some of the bids that were coming forward were not aimed at improving air quality'.

Lib Dem councillor Piers Allen, lead member for public health, said the grant would have formed an 'important part' of the council's upcoming air quality action plan for 2024/25.

He said: "We know there is a strong link between poor air quality and health issues, particularly with respiratory problems in young people, so it is highly disappointing to hear of the minister's cavalier response to our MP."

Lib Dem councillor Alexander Ehmann, chair of the air quality and transport committee, added: "We are delighted Munira Wilson MP conveyed to the House of Commons how the cancellation of this grant has impacted planned initiatives to improve air quality in important hotspots – particularly given the good progress the Lib Dem council has made in tackling air quality in most other areas of the borough.

"This government U-turn has pulled the rug from under a project which would have seen real support offered to those with conditions most exposed to adverse air quality."

A Defra spokesperson said: "The air quality minister has used his discretion at this point in time not to fund the local air quality grant scheme for the 2023/24 financial year.

"This government has delivered significant reductions in emissions since 2010 – with emissions of fine particulate matter falling by 24 per cent, and nitrogen oxides down by 48 per cent.

"We have also allocated £883m under the NO2 programme to help local authorities achieve compliance with legal air quality limits in the shortest possible time.

"We will continue to support local councils to improve air quality."

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