PRESENT: Cllr Smith, Cllr Wells, E Anderson, G Hoey, E Anderson, F Ross, M Jenkinson, S Ball, and G Dixon.
Also in attendance: C Wilkinson (Environment Team) and D Lilley (Democratic Services)
APOLOGIES: Cllr Regan, A Towns, S Jackson, K Hammond.
110 APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR - Resolved - That E Anderson be and he is hereby appointed chairman for the meeting.
E Anderson took the chair.
111 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST – There were no declarations of personal or personal and prejudicial interest in respect of items on the agenda.
112 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2007, having been circulated among the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded.
113 MATTERS ARISING
Minute 105 – Footpath numbering – Further discussion took place on the subject.
Resolved – That a further letter be sent to North Lincolnshire Council using the standard wording in the guidance booklet, to express the forum’s concerns regarding the renumbering of footpaths.
114 GUIDANCE ON LAFS – The Guidance on Local Access Forums issued by the Secretary of State was circulated.
Resolved – That the document be noted.
115 DEFRA CONSULTATION – RIGHT TO APPLY (DIVERSIONS AND EXTINGUISHMENTS – HIGHWAYS ACT 1980) – The consultation paper sought views on a proposed approach to commencing new statutory rights of application and appeal in connection with making changes to the public rights of way network. The new rights were introduced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and were in recognition of the difficulties that land managers could encounter in persuading authorities to use their discretionary order making powers.
Resolved – That the document be noted.
116 MINISTER’S LETTER ON “IMPLEMENTATION OF LAFS AND RIGHTS OF WAY IMPROVEMENT PLANS” – A letter had been circulated from Barry Gardiner MP, Minister for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs setting out how he envisaged implementation of ROWIPs taking place and the important role of LAFs.
117 PROGRESS OF NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL’S RIGHTS OF WAY IMPROVEMENT PLAN – The draft ROWIP had been circulated prior to the meeting, giving an opportunity for comments.
The document was also sent for consultation with all town and parish councils and rights of way user groups. Approval for the plan was to be sought from the Cabinet Member for Highways and Planning in November.
Members felt that the Statement of Action would be clearer in chronological order, and discussion took place on signposting.
Resolved – That the consultation be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
118 SSSI DIVERSIONS – A document was circulated setting out the non statutory advice on new provisions relating to diversions of rights of way for the protection of sites of special scientific interest.
Resolved – That the advice be noted and welcomed.
119 COMMONS ACT 2006 – C Wilkinson gave a verbal report describing the new legislation to be introduced to replace the existing 1965 Act. Further updates would be submitted to forum meetings in due course.
120 DONCASTER MBC’S HUMBERHEAD PEATLANDS NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE OPEN ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN – C Wilkinson gave a verbal report on the nature reserve. The project was being led by Doncaster MBC and it was suggested that an officer from Doncaster could be invited to a future meeting to give a presentation on the subject.
Discussion then took place on the lack of publicity in North Lincolnshire on rights of way and areas for walking. It was suggested that leaflets could be produced, as by other authorities, and distributed at events like the Lincolnshire Show.
121 CONSULTATION ON PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE ENGLISH COAST - The consultation document on access to the English Coast was circulated and discussed.
Discussion took place on what the criteria was for definition of coastline. The forum was informed that an estuary would be classed as coastline up to the first crossing point.
In the case of the River Humber it was considered that this definition should not be applicable. The Humber estuary is particularly wide even beyond the point of the Humber bridge and also the river banks beyond that point contain many environmentally important areas including an SPA.
The traditionally recognised point of estuary is the confluence of the Trent and Ouse rivers into the Humber.
Resolved – That an email be sent to defra stating the forum’s views on the matter.
122 DEFRA NEWSLETTER – The May 2007 newsletter was circulated and noted.
123 DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING – 2pm, 26 September 2007