The Isle of Wight Local Access Forum
Meeting 18
Committee Room One, County Hall, Newport
6th December 2007

Minutes
  • Present at the meeting

Mike Jordan (Chairman), Zelma Barnes, Councillor Bill Burt, Mark Earp, Jill Green, John Gurney Champion, Gavin James, Chris Lale, David Langford, Michael Poland, Alex Russell (IWC), Colin Richards, Susie Sheldon

  • Apologies were received from

John Brownscombe, Tony Williams, Robert Oliver


minutesmeeting18amended00

The Chairman welcomed Mr Bill Murphy, Head of Planning Services and Mr Stuart Love, Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services to the meeting.


Item 1 - Apologies, Minutes of previous meeting and Matters arising

Minutes of previous meeting
  • MP believed the ADDITIONAL Item should be marked to indicate it did not form part of the minutes but was in answer to a point that had been raised.

Matters arising
  • DL raised a question relating to the Defra Coastal Consultation. He asked why the draft report had not been circulated to members before being sent off as had been agreed by the committee. The Chairman apologised but had not realised that Members wished to see the response.
  • SS felt that exclusions for working dogs had not been picked up within the Dog Control Order.
  • SL indicated that there was separate legislation relating to working dogs.
  • A copy of the relevant legislation relating to working dogs should be sent to all members.
  • ZB asked for clarification as to what areas of the Island were covered by the Order with regard to dog fouling.
  • MP advised that private land was not within the Order, only public land and highways.
  • SL indicated that if the land was not owned by the Isle of Wight Council then the Order would not be enforced.
  • MP asked for all comments to be put in writing to Lee.
  • Although members were concerned with some aspects of the Order, they would not object but believed provision should be made for working dogs.

Item 2 – Bill Murphy, Head of Planning Services

Mr Murphy told the Committee that a new Planning Act had been introduced in 2004. This had been followed with Planning Reform Bill, Housing Regeneration Bill and the Climate Change Bill in 2007 which would all have implications on the planning service.

He indicated that the Council were now at the back end of the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) which would be surperceded by the Local Development Plan. The UDP now had a smaller number of policies as the Council were moving towards the Island Plan.

A consultation exercise would commence on 29 January 2008 and would run for 6 weeks. It would be the first re-look at core strategy issues. The outcome of that consultation would be taken to Cabinet and then on to Full Council. An additional 6 week consultation would then be heard with the intention of submitting the document by the end of 2008.

There was some discussion with regard to the perception of outside groups and how their issues were dealt with by planning officers. The East Cowes development had some policy conflicts between access and nature conservation. Access routes for a footpath network around Island Harbour had to be agreed by Natural England.
  • MJ asked that Lee be formally advised when the consultation would start on the LDF consultation so that a meeting could be arranged for the LAF to discuss.
  • MP indicated that he had not heard about Natural England input and Forum members were leaving in frustration. A response from planning officers was required.
  • BM told the Forum that he was putting together a Performance Improvement Plan which he believed would help.
  • DL indicated that Natural England had strong views on the coastal footpath.

Item 3 – Stuart Love, Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services

Mr Love told the meeting it was intended to resolve Alex’s position and backfill her post. He was not looking to decrease the level of budget within Rights of Way, but there were issues around the capital programme. He was going through the bidding process at the moment for next year’s budget.

With regard to the Access Management Grant Scheme he advised members that they had not committed to Access to Access Land Project and he did not think they were able to deliver.
  • MJ said there was an indication that there was not the staff capacity to do all the survey work, but if it was carried out would it be possible to put forward a bid. JB and JH had done all the work and were disappointed that the bids had not been put forward.
  • MP believed it was important for both users and landowners and was becoming more important in animal health status.
  • SS said that JH had done all the work, identified where the money was to come from but then the Council did nothing.
  • SL told the Forum that the Council were supporting what they were trying to do but could not resource it.
  • DL indicated that all the work had been done, the Council had only to put the bid in.
  • AR said she would try and find out if any more grant funding was likely to be available. There had only been £450,000 available nationally and the LAF were asking for £50,000 of that, she believed that amount was disproportionate to what was available.
  • ME asked if the Council would support Town and Parish Councils if they wanted to provide their own signage for footpaths.
  • SL told the Forum the Council was prepared to work with others, but that signage needed to be controlled.
  • SS advised that if the Town and Parish Councils wanted to do some work then they should know of any work that had already been done.

Item 4 and 5 – Forum Chair and Mr Hague Resignation
  • SS indicated she would be prepared to take over as the Chair but it would only be for a maximum of a two year period, she also said that she would like a Vice Chair who had to be from the users’ side.
  • DL was sad about the resignation of JH and asked if he could be persuaded to come back as a member and the Vice Chair.
  • MJ told the Forum he would approach JH on that basis.
  • There was some discussion relating to when the new LAF guidelines came out.
  • A document was being prepared which was to be issued as the new LAF Handbook.
  • A draft structure had been put to Secretary’s and Chair’s for comment.
  • JB asked that comments be circulated to members along with the draft structure. The documents to be sent out with the minutes.
  • Members discussed the recent resignations from the Forum and believed that an advert should be placed in the County Press asking for new members.
  • Members also noted the resignations of Caroline Knox and Andrew Hodgson due to work and personal commitments.

Item 6 – Access Land Project
  • MJ indicated that most of the questions had been answered earlier by SL, and he hoped that something would be sorted out for 2008.
  • DL had been looking at small signs, there were some good A4 size boards around which could be put on any existing furniture.
  • Signs should also be put at the end of access land.



Item 7 – Discovering Lost Ways
  • A copy of Discovering Lost Ways to be sent out to all members with the minutes.
  • MJ advised that by 2026 people would no longer be able to lay claim to footpaths.
  • SS believed that we should be looking at the modern need, looking forward not backwards.
  • DL indicated he thought there was a need for more bridleways on the Island.
  • AR told the Forum that the legislation was limiting not extending legislation.
  • MP asked if extinguished Rights of Way could be re-instated.
  • AR said if they were properly extinguished then no.
  • Link to the paths update at the next meeting.

Item 8 – IW Rights of Way Section Update
  • LS gave advice re long term closures.
  • CB9 – Newtown Boardwalk – A major project, the old boardwalk has been removed and will be replaced with something that meets modern standards. Would not be installed before September 2008 as need the right conditions for installations. Timber will be procured in the meantime.
  • N59 – Carisbrooke – Not getting a constructive response from people responsible for the wall.
  • C34 – Whale Chine – A challenging situation. Engineering to get more detailed information. Could be difficult to re-instate.
  • CS35 – Gurnard Luck – Consideration given to a small flight of steps down to the beach.
  • NT47 – Extinguishment Order to be applied for.
  • NT50 and V124 – Restoration of Undercliff Drive not going ahead. Could be restored with minor adjustment to route, should be bring it back into use.
  • The Council had to apply to GOSE to extend the closures and the most recent ones were extended to November 2008. There would need to be a review in 6 months.
  • SS said the footpath at Afton Marsh was recently closed although she was not aware of that fact. She believed it would have been useful for the landowner to be told.
  • ME said there should be notices displayed on paths to show they were closed.
  • AR told members that there were notices put up and they were inspected on a weekly basis.
  • MJ asked if the Forum could be formally consulted before it goes back to GOSE.

AR and LS advised on relevant projects that were being worked on by the Rights of Way Section
  • Rights of Way Improvement Plan
  • Looked at Open Access Project and how could be split down and brought up to project status.
  • Looking at network signage for next year’s budget.
  • Solent Forum – Reduced project. Received pre approval by Lottery Heritage Fund.
  • Countryside Section – History Trail Routes – information in 2008.
  • Ramblers Association meeting early October - working with Forum on small project.
  • MJ reported that a National Access Forum was to be set up.

Item 9 Tennyson Trail
  • Although the order had been published it was not enforceable until the signs were in place. The wording on the signs had to be approved by Defra. As it was a Road Traffic Order it would be enforced by the police.
  • CL had several questions relating to the Tennyson Trail which he would send to AR for a response.

Item 10 Any other business

MJ indicated that members should note the meeting dates for 2008.

The Chair was thanked for all his work.

Meeting ends



Page last updated on: 01/04/2008