AN UPDATE was presented to Camelford Town Council last week regarding the town’s air quality, writes Rosie Cripps.

Cllr Claire Hewlett, who also leads the Camelford Clean Air Group alongside her role as town councillor, said she was ‘deeply disappointed’ at the slow nature of the process of working for a solution to Camelford’s air quality and traffic pollution problems.

Camelford Clean Air Group was formed in 2016 to encourage higher authorities to recognise Camelford’s need for an overall solution to their air quality and pollution problems. Since the group’s establishment, North Cornwall MP, Scott Mann (Con), has been bringing Camelford’s issue up in parliament, and Cornwall Council declared the town an ‘air quality management area’ at the beginning of this year, following consultation.

However, to Cllr Hewlett’s dismay, the process has been slow, and it looks unlikely for plans to solve the problem to move forward until next year.

She told the meeting that she had chased Eloise Travis, a Cornwall Council environmental protection officer dealing with Camelford’s case, to see how far things had gone.

Cllr Hewlett said: “As far as I can gather, the environmental protection team are not starting the work until Nigel Blacker’s team is finished.

“We’re not expecting anything from Cornwall Council regarding air quality in Camelford until spring 2018. I am deeply disappointed.”

Adding to the disappointed feeling in the room that evening, Cllr Andy Shaw said: “Nothing happens quickly, does it?”

Cllr Hewlett replied: “Tell me about it.”

Camelford Clean Air Group hold monthly meetings to discuss the next steps to coming up with a solution to the town’s ongoing problem.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 23 at the Old Bank, Camelford, at 7pm. All are welcome to attend.