Meeting documents

Apologies of absence were received from Viv Lynch, Richard Pushman and Brenda Jennings.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2010 were confirmed.

A Member commented that the minutes of meetings did not include Members or Officers’ names and asked if names could be minuted against actions and comments. The Democratic Services Officer advised that it was standard practice not to include names. Members had a discussion and the majority of Members present expressed a desire for names to be recorded in the minutes. As not all Members were present the Democratic Services Officer suggested that advice on the issue be obtained and for the issue to be raised at a future meeting of the LAF.

Action: Democratic Services Officer

Report by Mark Bailey, Natural Environment Team Leader

Mark Bailey, Natural Environment Team Manager gave a presentation on the Buckinghamshire Information Landscape System (BLIS).

The key points of the presentation were as follows:

• The system brings together environmental and landscape data which can be analysed and utilised collectively.
• It is a ‘one stop shop’ of data allowing fast and detailed assessment at local and strategic scales.
• Offers great value to spatial planning, development control, master planning, informing local policy and design, mitigation and opportunity assessment.
• It can improve the design and sustainability of future development proposals and projects.
• Provides a cost saving in terms of staff time.
• The Historic Environment map can show how villages can change over time and mapping can be down to field level.
• Aylesbury Vale district has a fine grain Landscape Character Assessment in place but these have been absent for other county districts. However, the remaining three districts have agreed to a fine grain characteristic assessment which will commence shortly.
• BLIS will support Achieving Outstanding Performance by:

Short/Medium Term

Long Term

o       Monitor landuse and habitats

o       Monitor climate change

o       Aid Transport planning

The Officer then updated the Forum on proposals for High Speed Rail (HS2) and demonstrated how BLIS is being used by the County Council to undertake Baseline Environmental Impact Assessments for each of the three proposed rail routes within Buckinghamshire.

The Officer made the following points:

·         The overall estimated cost of HS2 is £34.012 billion.

·         The maximum speed of the trains is to be 225-250mph

·         Wider and taller trains with suitable lower platforms which could include double decker trains are being considered

·         Trains could be 200 metres in length but possibly joined to reach lengths of 400metres and carry 1000 people.

·         The HS2 Baseline Environmental Impact Assessment look at the potential environmental, landscape and landuse impacts as a result of the three HS2 routes.

·         The three routes affecting Buckinghamshire are Route 2.5,3 and 4. Route 3 is the preferred route.

·         A 1km corridor with a 500 metre buffer is used to identify the direct and indirect impact potentials. 1km was used as that was the area used for HS1.

·         The assessment includes statutory and non statutory sites and species, archaeology, rights of way and access land, biodiversity action plan priority habitats and areas of attractive landscapes.

Following the presentation Members then asked questions. A summary of the questions and answers follows:

The Officer was asked if the public could access the system online and he advised that it was on the Buckinghamshire County Council website. The Officer was then asked if the data will be renewed as data is updated. In response the Officer said that in terms of BLIS and HS2 details will be updated on an ongoing basis. A Member asked if the updates would be made on a 6 monthly basis  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Report by Jonathan Clark, Strategic Access Officer

A  Definitive Map update

Rights of Way Applications

1.    A public inquiry was held in August 2009 into an Order to upgrade Public Bridleways Nos. 40 and 40A Great and Little Kimble and No. 62 Ellesborough to Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT). A decision is still awaited and, following further representations about the alignment of the route, the Inspector has called a second inquiry, to deal with issues of alignment only. This has been arranged for 19 October 2010.

2.    The Secretary of State directed the Council to make Orders upgrading to BOAT status routes at Little Missenden and Stowe/Lillingstone Dayrell. The Council wrote to Defra as it considered that the applications were not duly made, asking that the decisions be reassessed with this in mind. A reply from the Secretary of State was received in April 2010, stating that the decisions could not be rescinded and that the Orders should be made as directed.

3.    The Secretary of State has also directed the Council to make Orders for BOATs in Great Missenden and Wendover.

4.    Orders have been made for public footpaths in Amersham and Ellesborough and objections have been received. A public inquiry into the Amersham routes is to be held on 29 September 2010. The Ellesborough route is being dealt with by written representations and a decision from the Secretary of State is awaited.

5.    Applications for a claimed footpath in Shabbington and a claimed bridleway in Great and Little Hampden have been rejected and the applicants have appealed against these decisions. Directions from the Secretary of State are awaited.

6.    Applications for claimed rights of way are currently in progress and some of the applications will be discussed at the next Rights of Way meeting. The applications are as follows:

·         claimed footpaths in Fawley, High Wycombe, Lacey Green, Marlow and Whitchurch;

·         claimed bridleways in High Wycombe, West Wycombe and Downley;

·         downgrading of a bridleway to a footpath in Ashley Green;

·         claimed restricted byway in Gerrards Cross. Members were informed that this has now been withdrawn as Officers has negotiated with the landowner/tenant to have a side gate put in for walkers and cyclists to use the route by permission; and

·         claimed BOATs in Iver.

Village Green Applications

7.    There are currently six village green applications in progress – Daly Way, Aylesbury; Pinewood Fields, Iver Heath; Station Road, Marsh Gibbon; Coppice Farm Road, Tylers Green; part of the former railway line, Quainton; and Lower Road, Gerrards Cross.

8.        A public inquiry was held into the Marsh Gibbon case in June 2010 and the Inspector’s recommended the application be rejected. A public inquiry into the Daly Way case has been arranged for 5 to 7 October 2010.

New paths and achievements

9.     Creation Agreements have been completed for Public Footpaths atChurch Farm, Haddenham, and Great Gap, Ivinghoe. Members were informed that the Great Gap, Ivinghoe was an item on the agenda and would be discussed in detail later  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report by Jackie Wesley, Area Co-ordinator, Locality Services, Buckinghamshire County Council (presentation after 11.30am)

Jackie Wesley, Locality Services Area Co-ordinator attended the meeting to discuss the new footpath link at Great Gap, Ivinghoe.

The Officer advised that the scheme which was to provide a new footpath from Ivinghoe village to the hamlet of Great Gap. The scheme had originally been put forward for the Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe Local Area Forum delegated budget but advised that the bid had not been successful. Members of the Local Area Forum had asked what other options there was to enable to scheme to proceed. To realise the full potential of this footpath, it was decided to extend the footpath to link up with other footpaths in the network to create a circular walk, with the aim of further linking to the Grand Union Canal (Aylesbury Arm) at a later stage.

The Officer said that funding was obtained from various organisations including Buckinghamshire County Council, Ivinghoe Parish Council, AVDCs Community Chest, the Big Lottery Fund and WREN. Ivinghoe Parish Council received £3k funding from the Local Area Forums local priorities budget which they match funded. It was highlighted that as there was a demonstrated community need for the footpath the scheme had been included on the Local Area Forum’s local area plan. The community supported the application with letters from residents, local businesses and community groups supporting the grant applications.

She said that the Council was able to create a new legally defined footpath by agreement with the landowners. A new bridge had been constructed over the Whistle Brook, fencing erected to separate the path from surrounding farmland and a short link is currently being provided on the highway verge to connect with the pavement network of Ivinghoe village. The new footpath is now a public footpath and is expected to be formally opened mid September 2010.

The Forum was advised that the second phase of the work would be to secure the final 200 metres to the canal towpath, which will create an additional 2km circular walk suitable for all users. She said that it would also assist local businesses by enabling canal users and other visitors to walk to amenities in Ivinghoe. The Community Chest has agreed to fund this further phase by contributing £7k towards this work. The Officer also said that they are also looking at lock accessible gates.

A Member asked the Officer how many people lived in Great Gap and she advised that there were approximately 40 residents.

Transformation

1.            An officer outlined the new structure of the Environment Group. The Forum was advised that there were three different portfolios to report to:

·         Planning and Environment (which includes the Strategic Access Officer);

·         Transport (which includes the Rights of Way Team, Operations and Definitive Map Teams); and

·         Sustainability

A Member asked that the structure chart be included in the minutes.

Action: An Officer

Members NOTED the information

Membership

2.            The Chairman welcomed Gavin Caspersz the new member for disabled users. Gavin Caspersz provided a brief introduction of his background and informed the Forum that he was disabled as the result of a horse riding accident. He advised Members that his main interest was access to countryside for people with disabilities. He commented that he appreciated he had a big learning curve but welcomed the challenge and hoped he could bring a fresh approach to the Forum.

The Chairman advised the Member that he should feel free to raise any access issues to the Forum.

Members NOTED the information

Community Impact Bucks

3.            An Officer has been in contact with Community Impact Bucks regarding sitting on the Forum. The Officer will report back to a future meeting with any updates.

Members NOTED the information.

Forestry Commission proposal to charge for horse riding in its woods

4.            A meeting was held in December 2009 to discuss reports that charges are to be introduced for horse riding in Forestry Commission woodlands. Viv Lynch had written to object to this proposal.

Members NOTED the information.

5.            Alan Marlow, LAF representative for the South East Region, has established a LAF working group to try to make some progress towards resolving the issue of equestrian access to Forestry Commission land. The working group met for the first time in March 2010. They decided to request each LAF in the region contribute by identifying one case in its territory where it believes access (particularly equestrian access) could be significantly improved.

Members NOTED the information.

6.            Viv Lynch has offered to write a report on access to Wendover Woods. It is hoped members' will support her proposals.

Members NOTED the information.

England Access Forum

7.            The Chairman advised that he had attended a recent England Access Forum and referred Members to Appendix 2 and 3 of the Agenda. The correspondence received from Natural England requested LAFs views on the following:

·         The links between England Access Forum and LAFs through the regional co-ordinators;

·         The effectiveness of the links between LAFs and Natural England at a national level through England Access Forum;

·         The added value that a national body representing LAFs can bring; and

·         The options for England Access Forums development.

The Chairman then made the following comments:

·         He said that in his opinion the links between England Access Forum and Local Access Forums was non-exist. He commented that whilst these links appear to be improving, more could be done.

·         The direct link to government was the added value which a national body representing LAFs could bring

·         Options  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

An Officer highlighted that attendance at the LAF meetings was dropping and that there had been 6 Members in attendance at the last meeting in March 2010 and only 6 at today’s meeting. He said that the purpose of the LAF was to provide advice to the County Council on access strategy and policy. To achieve this, the County Council needs to hear back from LAF Members and attendance at the LAF meeting to enable this to be achieved a stronger attendance was needed. The Officer said that if Members of the LAF are not able to commit to attending, the County Council and LAF would have to look at alternatives. The LAF Chairman said that the Forum needed new Members and highlighted that Members should send apologies if they were unable to attend the meeting. He commented that the LAF was presently low on membership and said that a wider membership was required. It was acknowledged that it was difficult to recruit new Members.

The next meeting is to be held on Wednesday 3 November 2010, 10am, Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall, Aylesbury.

The next meeting is to be held on Wednesday 3 November 2010, 10am, Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall, Aylesbury.