Ipswich CAN - An Update

A huge thank you for all your support, energy and ideas this year - together, we’re delivering change! The campaign to get action on air pollution in Ipswich has been a long one but this year saw some real shifts - with more to come in 2023.

We’ve taken the campaign to Suffolk’s Health and Wellbeing Board. This brings together leaders from the Borough, County Councils, Health, Police, University, business and local charities to tackle issues of health and wellbeing for residents.

As a result, in January 2022, a private Air Quality event was held. Led by Stuart Keeble, Director of Public Health and opened by Cllr Matthew Hicks, leader of Suffolk County Council. This ensured that all councillors and local authority staff are unambiguously aware of air pollution health issues and their legal obligations. It also resulted in clarity around Prevent, Mitigate and Avoid actions – the most important of which can only be undertaken by our local authorities. See our website for information and links.

We’re relieved that air pollution has finally been publicly discussed and is on the ongoing agenda of the Health and Wellbeing Board. We understand that it is now also a priority for the Suffolk Public Health team, who started work on engaging the public in October 2022 with an air quality event in town. Things are finally moving.

Building on this we want everyone to know about the issue and to see actions taken that actually reduce pollution, especially for those most affected. So, time to ramp things up a bit.

In 2023 we’re delighted to announce that we'll be working in partnership with the Evening Star, to launch a sustained press campaign to inform and drive action on air pollution in Ipswich.

ITFC are also endorsing our campaign and will be working with the Star and ourselves to help inform and protect supporters whilst starting to reduce their carbon footprint.

We’ll also be focusing on practical actions and visiting towns and cities who have shown great leadership and grasped the air pollution nettle. We will be visiting these places with the Star and we have invited SCC and IBC who have yet to respond…

It’s going to be an exciting year and we need everyone to lean in!

Keep safe and warm.

Tony Horner

If you would like to find out more about Ipswich CAN visit their website here: https://www.ipswichcan.org/