The Isle of Wight Local Access Forum
Meeting 25
Arreton Community Centre, Arreton
Thursday 3rd September 2009

Minutes
Present at the meeting
  • Forum Members: Zelma Barnes, Colin Richards, Tony Williams, Councillor John Hobart, John Brownscombe, David Langford, Susie Sheldon, John Gurney-Champion
  • Forum visitors/observers: Sheila Weedell (British Horse Society), Helen Stichbury (Isle of Wight Council Sustainable School Travel Officer) , Karl Dyson (West Wight Landscape Partnership)
  • Apologies were received from: Mark Earp, Chris Lale, David Farnham



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

Apologies
  • There were no further apologies received

Minutes of previous meeting
  • There were no changes to the last meeting minutes and these were approved and signed by the Chairman
Matters arising
  • The matter of new member recruitment was discussed. At this time the IWC was not prepared to formally appoint any new members due to the need to keep the balance of member interests.
  • Members were further asked to encourage membership applications from land owners or managers, via their own interest groups or associates.
  • LS advised that any applicants need not be actual landowners, but would need an interest or knowledge in the land managing area.
  • Members felt that the LAF was not given the regard that it should have by the local authority, and this may discourage people to apply.
  • TW asked about the progress with the Whale Chine path closure.
  • LS advised that the situation was the same as last discussed and the path would remain closed until it was deemed safe for public use. Works had been assessed by engineers, and the path would require a large investment of budget.
  • TW felt that the health and safety concerns were not valid and too strict.
  • Discussion was made of this point.
  • TW strongly felt that not enough progression had been made over the matters of coastal access and re-opening footpaths that allowed access to beaches. With this in mind TW resigned from the Forum
  • The chairman and other members asked TW to reconsider his decision, as it was felt he was a great asset to the Forum.

Item 2 – Declarations of interest
  • There were no declarations of interest
Item 3 - Disability Sub Group Update
  • LS explained that the sub group had not progressed since the last meeting, mainly due to not having enough members available to discuss the project.
  • SS had met with David Howarth from the Ramblers Association regarding some improved routes in Yarmouth.
ACTION POINT
  • It was decided that the group should carry on with a view to meeting up soon.
  • JB said he would head the group


Item 4 - Discussion regarding current consultations
  • LS gave out a document detailing any current consultations from Natural England.
  • The Coastal Access Consultation process was about to start, and an interim meeting of the LAF may have to be made to ensure the Forum had a chance to discuss it and send comments.
ACTION POINT
  • Members would be contacted if the Forum needed to meet before the scheduled December meeting.
Item 5 – Rights of Way Section Update
  • LS gave an update of the work of the IWC Public Rights of Way Section.
  • These works included
  • The summer cutting programme was in the last stages
  • Hedge cutting works were now being performed, as the nesting season was over
  • 10 new bridlegates had been installed recently
  • There were many planned capital surfacing and drainage works planned for the autumn period
Path Closures
  • As already discussed, Whale Chine was still closed and showed no sign of improvement.
  • SS3 in Luccombe Chine was in a similar state and likely to be closed throughout winter.

Legal works had been slowed down cue to staff shortages, however there were a small number of matters being processed.
  • The new footpath link in East Afton was now with the landowner for confirmation.
  • CS24 in East Cowes was subject to a diversion order for the new supermarket development
  • A new path was being looked into in the Gurnard Heights area
  • A public enquiry was being held in the new year for the proposed path diversion at Petticoat Lane in Newport
  • Staff levels were still low, however 2 posts were being made available for recruitment very soon. This would fill the vacant Definitive Map Officer position, and a new post to help with the maintenance team.
  • The budget for the section remained the same as the last update.
  • A new sign order was about to be made for approximately 230 signs.
  • It was suggested that the IWC contact other coastal authorities to discuss how they handle their path closures
  • JH expressed concern over the recent path closures at the Carisbrooke Madness concert.
  • SS felt that closures should be charged for by numbers of path closed or length of path closed.

ACTION POINT
  • JB asked about the PFI project and the involvement of the LAF. After discussion it was decided that a letter would be sent to the Director of the PFI Project to detail the work of the LAF and ask to be consulted when necessary.


Item 6 – Karl Dyson from the West Wight Landscape Partnership
  • Karl Dyson gave a presentation to the Forum regarding the West Wight Landscape Partnership Grant Scheme
  • The following text has been supplied by Mr Dyson for the LAF minutes

A funding pot of £300,000 has been made available by the West Wight Landscape Partnership to support projects that conserve the landscape and heritage of the West Wight or enable people to learn about these rich assets. The Landscape Heritage Grants programme offers grants of between £1,000 to £15,000 for projects which are located within the constituency areas of Brighstone, Calbourne, Freshwater, Shalfleet and Totland Parish Councils as well as Yarmouth Town Council. All projects will need to demonstrate community benefit and compliment the area within which they will be based. For details about the grants programme or any other aspect of the West Wight Landscape Partnership’s work please contact Karl Dyson on 759779.





Item 7 - Helen Stichbury Isle of Wight Council Sustainable School Travel Officer
  • Helen Stichbury gave a presentation to the Forum regarding some new capital routes that had been proposed.
  • The following text has been supplied by Mrs Stichbury for the LAF minutes

The Council has a statutory duty to develop sustainable travel to school, which also links to the local requirement to do something about very high levels of childhood obesity at Island schools. We are promoting walking, cycling and scootering to school, as/where appropriate, as well as increasing the use of public transport, and encouraging parents to park away where car use is the only feasible option.

As part of this, school communities (pupils, parents, staff, governors, etc.) develop travel plans which look at ways to increase sustainable travel to the school site. Almost every school on the Island now has a travel plan. Sometimes the focus is on promoting walking, or cycling/scootering, or whatever the community feel is appropriate in their area and people using their site. Through this process, some schools have identified that they would like existing rights of way upgraded or improved – for instance, Niton Primary School have identified surface improvement to the bridleway between Whitwell and Niton – and sometimes schools would like a new right of way – for instance, between Shalfleet Primary School and Shalfleet Village. Both schools have shared their travel plans with their parish councils, and these aspirations are being looked at by the Isle of Wight Council under the Highways ‘accessibility’ schemes.

Should members of the LAF have any suggestions as to a) rights of way which could be used to access schools but may need improvement or upgrade, or b) suggestions for new rights of way or permissive paths which could serve schools, please contact the Rights of Way team or Helen Stichbury, who would be pleased to discuss any suggestions further.
Item 8 – Any other business
  • JGC asked about the proposed new Constitution that had been submitted to the Forum at the last meeting.
  • The Forum decided to adopt the new document, as per copy attached to these minutes.

ACTION POINT
  • SW asked if the Forum should write to the IWC regarding the lack of staff in the Rights of Way Section. The matter was discussed and the Forum decided to send another letter with copies to the leader of the Council.
  • The next meeting of the Local Access Forum would be on Thursday 3rd December at 16:00.

Meeting ends



Page last updated on: 23/03/2010