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<p>Air quality is a devolved matter. Local authorities can bid for additional government
funding via the air quality grant fund for projects in local communities to tackle
air pollution and reduce emissions affecting schools, businesses and residents. In
2016/17, the London Borough of Islington was awarded £50,000 to run a local school-focused
awareness and engagement campaign through the air quality grant.</p><p> </p><p>Local
authorities have a duty to monitor and assess air quality and to take action to reduce
pollution where these breach statutory limits, and are best placed to determine local
priorities. Their local knowledge and interaction with the communities that they serve
means that they know the issues on the ground in detail and the solutions that are
best suited to local circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The government awarded a total of
£2.4 million to local authorities from the 2017/18 air quality grant fund; £3.7 million
was awarded to local authorities in 2016/17 and £0.5 million in 2015/16. £3 million
has been allocated for 2018/19.</p><p> </p><p>The government has also put in place
a £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions, which includes
£475 million for councils to improve air quality. We have consulted on our Clean Air
Strategy, which includes ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies which
will help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively.</p>
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