Meeting documents

Helen Francis, Definitive Map Team; Jonathan Clark, Strategic Access Officer; and Joanne Taylor, Operations Team Leader

Definitive Map

Mr Elfes said there seemed to be a fixed timescale of 2-3 years for doing Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMOs) yet when a development affects a route, suddenly they can be done in six months. This suggests they could have been done in six months to start with and the process could be speeded up. 

It was advised that the 2-3 year timescale for the completion of investigations into DMMOs is due to investigative work being so time consuming and there was only 1 member of staff working on DMMOs at present, 4-days per week.

Mr Hurworth said that he believed Buckinghamshire were very good in getting their applications through in a relatively short time scale compared to many counties, some of whom have backlogs going back ten years or more. Mr Elfes concluded they were winners in a very slow race indeed!

It was raised that there was no timescale for determining Village Green applications. Mrs Hudson said these are very expensive due to inquiry costs, so only one is done annually. 

Strategic Access

Mr Clark explained that £15 million of the £40 million available for local projects from HS2 would be made available within the ‘central area’ when the HS2 Bill receives Royal Assent, probably in January 2017. This will be called the 'Community & Environment Fund and Business & Local Economy Fund'. The council are currently compiling a spreadsheet of suitable ideas and LAF Members could make Mr Clark aware prior to January 2017 of any ideas for projects that could utilise this money.

Mr Clark also advised that a £500,000 grant had been secured for cycling improvements around the Wendover area from HS2 Ltd. The Ridgeway Partnership were aware of these funding streams.

Groundwork and the county council have worked together and secured £3 million from HS2 for the Colne Valley. This includes the area of Buckinghamshire around the M25, including Iver, Denham and Grand Union Canal. Again, ideas for projects are welcome.

A member asked how these sums came about before projects has been identified. Mr Clark explained that counties had lobbied government through the Parliamentary Committee process to ask for mitigation to off-set having HS2 on the doorstep with none of the benefits that such a railway brings. The Wendover improvements are linked to the proposed National Cycleway and Grand Union Triangle. There may be money for path improvements, but not path maintenance.

Mr Thomas highlighted the money spent on up?grading of cycle ways/footpaths along the A413. There is now a good footpath in Weedon which will eventually deteriorate and only a small maintenance budget.

Cllr Whyte explained that the cycleway was a government grant, so if we didn't bid for it we wouldn't have had anything, so the debate about maintenance or no maintenance is very good, but it makes no different to getting the path or not. It will be a challenge in the next five or ten years’, but he wouldn't have wanted to stop the new path happening. It's a completely different budget from a different organisation. At least residents have an asset to think about maintaining, rather than no asset.

Mr Clark spoke of plans for the Stoke Mandeville bypass (A4010) where HS2 meets Network Rail’s line to Princes Risborough. Further information on the footpath crossings will be provided at the next meeting.

ACTION: Mr Clark

Mr Clark outlined the multiple projects affecting Iver village, though this did provide the opportunity to resolve the dead end Iver Footpath 15 created by Crossrail. Further information in the agenda pack.

Maintenance

Ms Taylor outlined a joint maintenance project with the Thames Path National Trail Team to resurface 300m of riverside path at Marlow. Mr Thorns gave feedback, as a National trails volunteer, that many local walkers had said the contractor, Smallwoods, had done and a good job.

Ms Taylor outlined a meeting that had been held with the county council’s Devolvement Lead Officer regarding the 80 parishes involved in devolved services last year. They discussed improvements to managing the mowing list for 2017 and for parishes to provide feedback on their schedules and route clearance. Some routes could be removed where mowing is unnecessary.

Ms Taylor was still seeking a new rights of way officer for the central and south parts of the county; with interviews for the central role due to take place within a matter of days. Corinne Waldron’s south officer post is still vacant. She thought she would have to look at organising the officer’s areas, probably split in two: north and south.

Ms Taylor explained that the schedule of maintenance outcomes would be updated and circulated to members within the next few weeks.

ACTION: Ms Taylor