Please use these emails as a basis for contacting your local councillors:

---

You can lookup contact details for your councillors here

---

Email Example 1

Dear Councillor.

I was hoping you might be able to help with chimney smoke plaguing our area. The entire area just stinks constantly from wood burning smoke now.

Nearly all of Sheffield is covered by a smoke control area in which emitting any smoke from a chimney is an offence (clean air act 1993 section 19 and schedule 1A). Far too many people seem to have no idea how to use their wood burners properly though, and enforcement is non-existant. All legal burners are certified to achieve a clean and smoke free burn when used properly.

The health impacts of wood smoke are clear, causing a range of issues such as lung disease, heart disease, blood pressure and dementia. The clean air act was put in place over 35 years ago, but our council has put barely any effort into smoke enforcement.

Is this something you might be able to put some pressure on the council about? Compared to other councils Sheffield has not even published clear rules on what is and isn't acceptable for smoke emissions, let alone enforced the existing rules.

Given the number of people in my area willfully ignoring the law on smoke emission it seems the council could be raking in money by enforcing it. The clean air act allows fines of up to £300 for emitting smoke from a chimney. The fines are also per offence too so can be applied repeatedly. The government even provided a full guide on how councils should enforce it a couple of years ago:
Smoke Control Area Enforcement by Local Authorities in England

I don't have to live with the constant stench and health impacts from inconsiderate wood burners, so would welcome any progress you can make on the issue.

Yours sincerely
[NAME]

---

<< Back