Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Blackburn Town Hall, Ground Floor, Conference Room 1

Contact: Garth Harbison  Tel: 01772 530596; Email:  garth.harbison@lancashire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from County Councillor Albert Atkinson, Michael Helm and Steve Kirby.

2.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 January 2017 pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Minutes:

The minutes were agreed as a correct record.

3.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

Flood Damage

 

The Forum was informed that work was still ongoing with areas damaged by flooding. There were dangers with bridges being scoured and river banks disappearing. There was still a lot of work for the Bridges and Structures Team to do.

 

Jacobs Cycling and Walking Strategy

 

It was felt that horse riding should play a bigger part in the strategy. In addition bridleways and multi-user routes should be part of the strategy. The Forum felt it would be a good idea to invite someone from Jacobs to a LLAF meeting.

 

Auditing the List of Streets

 

David Goode, Public Rights of Way Manager, informed the Forum that this was only a list of streets that were publicly maintainable and it was a requirement to record these streets. This is in practice covered by GIS Mapping which is more informative and convenient to use than a list.

 

Joint LAF Meeting with Cumbria – 1 November 2016

 

The Chair, Councillor Richard Toon, informed the Forum that the Joint LAF had been an excellent meeting.

 

Rights of Way Improvement Plan

 

Forum members were informed that the Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) had now been signed off. A copy of the ROWIP is attached with these minutes.

 

4.

The Future of the Lancashire Local Access Forum and the Public Rights of Way Access Forum pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Minutes:

Josh Mynott, Democratic Services Manager, explained that it was a legal requirement for highways authorities to establish and support a LAF. In Lancashire, the three highways authorities (LCC, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council had agreed to establish a joint LAF for Lancashire.

 

The statutory role of the LLAF was to advise relevant organisations as to the improvement of public access to lands in the area for the purpose of open-air recreation and the enjoyment of the area, and as such other matters as may be prescribed. Organisations so advised are required to have regard to any relevant advice given by the LLAF.

 

The PROWAF had no statutory basis, meaning that there was no legal requirement for an area to have a PROW type committee.

 

Local authorities and other public sector bodies continued to experience major reductions in available resources. Councils were making significant service reductions, and focusing expenditure on statutory services and where maximum value could be obtained. The LLAF, as a statutory requirement, was not at risk. However, it was clear that the LLAF was operating in a changed environment, which represented both a challenge and an opportunity.

 

It was felt that this was a good time to consider where the Forum was at and what the future held. Areas to look at were:

 

·  Public Suppliance

·  Joint Working, i.e. Combined Authority

·  Partnership Working with the LEP and Marketing Lancashire.

 

Ways had to be found to make the LLAF work well and have the best impact, especially on policy decision making. It was difficult to see a role for both the LLAF and the PROWAF. Both had items that overlapped.

 

One way for the LLAF to go was to engage in Health and Wellbeing issues. At the Regulatory Committee meetings there could be an item on the agenda from the LLAF.

 

The Terms of Reference stated that the LLAF could have no more than 3 County Councillors. It was noted that some County Councillors on the LLAF never attended the Forums. The County Councillors on the PROWAF had better attendance records. There must be better County Councillor representation on the LLAF. If Forum Members felt the agenda for the LLAF meetings had value then they would most likely attend. The Forum had to be worthwhile to attend.

 

The LLAF would welcome working in partnership with Marketing Lancashire.

 

LCC was told by law to have a LLAF. The original purpose of the LLAF was to have an overall view of access. The Government had given some funding for the LLAF when it was set up. This funding was for the servicing of the LLAF.

 

It was put forward that both Forums become one and that existing members of the PROWAF suggest members from their Forum to sit on the LLAF. It was noted that there were no representatives from the British Horse Society (BHS) on the LLAF so maybe one of the BHS members from the PROWAF could join the LLAF.

 

It was up to LCC to have both  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Update on Coastal Access in Lancashire

Minutes:

Richard Toon, Chair of the LLAF, informed the Forum that he had been invited by Danny Moores from Natural England to attend a site visit near Heysham regarding coastal access. The area of coastal access looked at was a stretch of land around Heysham nuclear power station. There was a rapidly changing environment around this area but progress with coastal access was good.

 

Richard informed the Forum he wished to establish a coastal access working group consisting of 4 to 5 people and asked for volunteers for the group Sue Harrison, David Kelly and Michael Prescott all volunteered along with Richard Toon.

 

6.

Update on the Countryside Service

Minutes:

David Goode, Public Rights of Way Manager, presented a summary on the Future of the Countryside Service.

 

In the Autumn of 2015 it had been agreed that the Lancashire Countryside Service would cease in April 2018. The main thrust would be that the 90 countryside recreation, open space and forestry sites would be passed to the voluntary sector to manage. This had not been possible.

 

LCC was therefore going to be maintaining much of the portfolio, only looking to transfer 13 sites initially. The Forum requested a list of the 13 sites for the next LLAF meeting. It was very important to note that LCC had never said it was closing sites. It was looking to lift costs from the authority and the sites to be transferred would all have continued public access. Key sites at Beacon fell, Wycoller, Spring Wood, 5 former railway lines (greenways) and many rural car parks and picnic sites would be retained.

 

LCC would be maintaining much of the portfolio and managing the sites in a condition that was suitable for continued informal recreation. There would inevitably be a reduction in ranger cover and visitor centres could well be closed in quieter periods, but all sites would remain accessible.

 

The new approach was being referred to as an asset management model where a planned approach to maintenance and investment ensured that the assets were retained in a condition suitable for public use. It was anticipated that an asset manager would oversee the key sites and whose main role would be:

 

·  Develop an Asset Register

·  Develop an Investment Programme

·  Develop a programme of site inspections and delivery of local works programme

·  Progress community asset transfers.

·  Develop Local Management arrangements where local organisations (parish councils, volunteer groups, etc) operate and oversee specific sites to agreed prescriptions

·  Develop external funding bids to see investment in sites

·  Seek alternative methods of generating income

 

The involvement of local individuals, organisations and agencies would be explored and if any partner organisations felt that they could contribute to this then they should make contact with Tim Blythe, Countryside Service Manager.

 

A new volunteer offer would be developed this year. It was likely that a promoted programme of community action days and the development of Champion Volunteers would emerge in time.

7.

Upland Chain Local Nature Programme

Minutes:

Richard Toon informed the Forum that he had attended a meeting of the Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Programme in March.

 

The LLAF had proposed three projects for the Northern Upland Chain LNP.

 

·  Seek to achieve a sustainable population of hen harriers

·  Renewal / replacement of signage and furniture associated with open access land

·  Work to conserve and renew upland peat areas.

 

Out of the three projects the Programme was looking at the conservation and renewal of peat areas. The Programme was looking sustaining the population of curlews and not hen harriers. The Programme was not looking into the renewal / replacement of signage and furniture associated with open access land.

 

It was suggested to have a presentation at a future LLAF meeting on the use of land areas and different ways of farming.

 

8.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

Richard Toon informed the Forum that he would be attending the Local Access Forum Conference on Wednesday 21st June 2017 at the Carrs Lane Conference Centre, Birmingham.

9.

Date of Next Meeting

To be confirmed

Minutes:

It was noted that the next meeting of the Forum would be held on Tuesday 4 July at 10:00am in the Henry Bolingbroke Room (former Committee Room 'D') at County Hall, Preston.