Q. What are Air Quality Management Areas and what is Oldham doing about this?
Air Quality Management Areas in Greater Manchester are as the result of Oldham Council and the other nine Greater Manchester Councils and Warrington Borough Council’s implementation of the UK National Air Quality Strategy since 1996. This has involved forming strategic policy within Greater Manchester based upon public consultation.
The Air Quality Management Areas show exceedances of certain pollution parameters - in Greater Manchester’s case Particulates and Oxides of Nitrogen. The Areas will be followed on by an Action Plan. Local Air Quality is a complex area of responsibility where land use planners, highway engineers, health planners and environmental health officers come together with others, to co-ordinate progress in a subject which is continually under review.
As indicated earlier, Oldham is working with ten other Local Authorities in declaring Air Quality Management Areas and acting upon them. For further information contact the Environmental Services Department on 0161-770-4502.
Q. What can the Council do about bonfires?
If the activities of a neighbour are of concern to you, approach your neighbour explaining that smoke is affecting you such as by blowing in through an open window of your home, blowing on to your washing on affecting the use and enjoyment of your garden or yard.
If this does not produce a solution, you can complain to the Environmental Services Department on 0161 770 4502 whose officers will follow up the complaint and advise the offender of alternative waste disposal methods. The Greater Manchester Waste Group operates a number of Civic Amenity Waste & Recycling Sites which all householders can use free of charge and bulky refuse can be taken away by the Council’s Environmental Services Department. If burning is to be conducted it should not be a nuisance to others nearby.
Q. What can be done about light pollution?
Whilst no formal powers exist to deal with a complaint of this type, security lights can be angled and masked so as not to shine into any nearby property and further advice can be obtained from the Council on 0161 770 4502 which stocks copies of the National Society for Clean Air leaflet on the subject.
Q. What can the Council do about noise?
The Council works proactively and reactively with potential and real noise issues. The planning and public entertainment licensing systems are used to avoid problems occurring. If however problems do occur relating to:
Neighbour Noise - such as from amplified music, barking dogs, intruder alarms malfunctioning, d.i.y activities and rowdy behaviour;
Construction Noise from building sites whether large or small;
Entertainment Noise from pubs, clubs and discos;
Industrial Noise from factories using fixed plant such as compressors, ventilation on heating or other processes; and
Road Traffic Noise including malfunctioning car alarms.
Different specific solutions and assistance can be provided dependant upon the scale of the problem, its regularity and the impact it has on any complainants “quality of life”. This is also dependant at times upon mediation to achieve an informal solution or the powers available to the Council if formal action as a last resort is appropriate.
Further advice can be obtained from the Environmental Services Department on 0161 770 4502.
Q. What can the Council do about firework noise?
Whilst the majority of the population wish to see November 5th celebrations continue and legislation allows the qualified sale of fireworks, very little can be done to control the indiscriminate, intermittent and irresponsible use of fireworks. The Council urges you to attend only organised activities and follow all safety briefings whether printed on the firework itself or given out by Greater Manchester Fire & Ambulance Services.
Q. How loud can I play my music?
This depends on where you live, the type of house you live in and the quality of party wall/party floor sound insulation that your home has. Do not play loud music in gardens or back yards. Your neighbours will probably be able to hear you and may not share your taste in music.
When playing music indoors remember to have consideration for your neighbours especially if it is late at night or someone near to you as a neighbour may be ill, infirm, elderly, housebound or is a shift worker.
Be a good neighbour and if you are having a special celebration such as a New Year’s Eve party, consider inviting your neighbours to the celebration.
Q. Are there set times I can play my music?
No there are not but be a good neighbour - by avoiding very loud music that may be heard next door and think about the time of the day you play music. Someone next door may be asleep, a parent might be trying to get children to sleep or someone may be trying to study!
Q. I have a burglar alarm should I tell anyone?
Yes, the Police and the Council. Your alarm provider should have given you a Form A and Form B to complete and return. If you have not got one of these contact the Environmental Services Department on 0161 770 4502 who will supply you with one.
The alarm should have a 20 minute cut out and additionally the keyholders names and contact details should have been supplied to both the Police and the Council. This is a requirement of a government Code of Practice enforced by the Council who can serve notice to require improvements if a noise nuisance is created.
In more serious cases where an alarm rings continuously and no keyholder can be found, the Council will take formal action to stop a nuisance occurring for prolonged periods. This may involve obtaining a warrant from a Justice of the Peace, entering the premises with a locksmith and alarm engineer, rectifying the fault, resetting the alarm and recovering the Council’s reasonable costs from the person responsible.
This is a DEFRA. (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Government funded initiative, managed by the National Society for Clean Air which the Council takes part in annually. Please refer to the website: www.nsca.org.uk or contact the Council on 0161 770 4502.