Agenda and minutes

Plymouth Local Access Forum - Monday 17 June 2013 10.30 am

Venue: Council House, Plymouth (Next to the Civic Centre)

Contact: Ross Johnston, Secretary to the Local Access Forum  Email: laf@plymouth.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR

To appoint a Chair and Vice-Chair for the forthcoming year.

Minutes:

Agreed that Ray Fairchild is appointed Chair and Ian Stewart is appointed as Vice- Chair for the Plymouth Local Access Forum for the forthcoming year.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this Agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 78 KB

The Forum will be asked to confirm the minutes of the 18 March 2013.

Minutes:

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2013 are approved.

4.

CHAIR'S URGENT BUSINESS

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

Minutes:

Dave Pawley informed members that Plymouth City Council along with many other organisations including the Environment Agency, Natural England, the National Trust and the Forestry Commission were part of a project called the Plym Valley Connections Project.

 

This project aimed to attract monies via Heritage Lottery Bid funding that would be used, if successful, to preserve the industrial and cultural heritage of the Plym Valley.

 

All organisations were working towards submitting a bid for the first stage of the bid process and it was requested that individuals and organisations interested in the project should send letters of support to Plymouth City Council, who were co-ordinating the bid process, which would be used to support the bid’s first stage.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the Forum writes a letter in support of the Plym Valley Connections Project. Dave Pawley was nominated to provide the text for the letter;

 

(2)

the Plym Valley Connections Project is added to the Forum’s work programme and Chris Coldwell, Senior Project Manager, is invited to attend the Forum’s next meeting to provide an update on this project;

 

(3)

Chris Coldwell, Senior Project Manager, is invited to provide an update to the Forum on all other local projects that the Council is currently involved in with regards to transport, access or nature.

 

5.

TRACKING RESOLUTIONS pdf icon PDF 27 KB

To monitor progress on previous resolutions.

Minutes:

The Forum noted its tracking resolutions document and commented that –

 

(a)

with regard Minute 50 (3) – 18.03.13, Bob Harvey, LAF member, had contacted Stephen Jenkinson and was attempting to organise a joint event with Torbay LAF that would discuss the issues of dogs and tress in urban environments;

 

(b)

with regard Minute 37 (2), the maps provided by the Public Rights of Way Officer, were helpful but when approved would not be available for public inspection on the Definitive Map, as the map only covered adopted footpaths pre 2006;

 

(c)

the Definitive Map should be available for public inspection from First Stop, Civic Centre along with information on footpaths that had been adopted or were subject to any orders since the date that the Definitive Map was last published.

 

In response to members comments it was reported that –

 

(d)

the most up to date published version of the Definitive Map was available for public inspection and that all First Stop staff had been trained and provided with a briefing note on how to deal with such a request;

 

(e)

the working copy of the Definitive Map, which contains footpaths adopted or subject to any orders since 2006, was not available for public inspection as it was a digital map and did not physically exist but that people who purchased extracts from the Definitive Map where also given a copy from the working copy map.

 

Agreed that the Public Rights of Way Officer would look for solutions which provided further information on changes to the PRoW network to the public to be provided at the Forum’s next meeting.

6.

ANNUAL REVISION OF THE LAF TERMS OF REFERENCE pdf icon PDF 52 KB

To review the PLAF’s terms of reference.

Minutes:

The Forum noted and agreed its Terms of Reference.

7.

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES UPDATE pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To receive a letter in response to the Forum’s letter to the Greenspace Manager on parks and green spaces.

Minutes:

The Forum received a letter from the Parks and Greenspace Manager in relation to advice provided by the Forum on Parks and Green spaces. It was commented by members that –

 

(a)

the Forum’s original letter on adopting footpaths in public parks as PROW was sent in June 2012 and this response should not have taken more than nine months to be provided;

 

(b)

the response does not adequately answer the advice and guidance provided in the Forum’s original letter.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the Forum provide a written response to the  Parks and Green Spaces Manages, letter. If Forum Members had any comments for inclusion in the response letter then they should be provided to the LAF Secretary by Friday 28 June 2013;

 

(2)

the Parks and Greenspace Manager be invited to attend the Forum’s next meeting on 2 September 2013 to discuss public footpaths within council owned parks and green spaces.

 

8.

CO-OPERATIVE WAY BROCHURE

To receive a verbal update from the Public Rights of Way Officer on the progress of the Co-operative Way brochure.

Minutes:

The Public Rights of Way Officer provided an update on the Co-operative Way Brochure and informed members that the brochure was progressing well and a further update would be provided at the Forum’s next meeting.

9.

IMPACTS OF ASH-DIEBACK pdf icon PDF 760 KB

To receive an update and information on the impacts of Ash-Dieback.

Minutes:

The Forum received and noted a report on the Impacts of Ash-Dieback. Members were informed that –

 

(a)

Ash Dieback, caused by the chalara fraxinea fungus, was a significant issue for the future of ash trees within the UK and at present was most prevalent in the South East of England;

 

(b)

there were many other tree diseases that threatened the UK’s tree biodiversity including Phytophthora ramorum, a disease affecting larch trees, Oak Processionary Moth and Asian Longhorn Beetle;

 

(c)

the Government had devised a strategy to prevent the spread of Ash-Dieback across the UK.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the Local Access Forum note the contents of the report;

 

(2)

the Local Access Forum note that further information on tree diseases and in particular ash-dieback can be found at http://treedisease.co.uk/;

 

(3)

the Local Access Forum note that the Government’s Chalara Management Plan can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chalara-management-plan.

 

10.

LAF ENGAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 49 KB

To receive a report on the plan of engagement between Natural England, Defra and the Local Access Forums.

Minutes:

The Forum noted the LAF Engagement Plan.

11.

WORKING GROUPS

To agree any working groups for items on this agenda.

Minutes:

There were no reports from the Forum’s working groups.

12.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 184 KB

To receive the Forum’s Work Programme for 2013 - 2014.

Minutes:

Members noted the work programme for 2013 – 2014 and agreed that the following items be added to the work programme:

 

· 

Plym Valley Connections Project update;

 

· 

an update on all projects that Plymouth City Council is involved in related to Transport, Access or Nature;

 

· 

Definitive Map update;

 

· 

all suggested items identified in the draft work programme;

· 

Plym Valley Cycle Trail as a potential site visit.

 

It was further agreed that a letter is sent to Plymouth City Council Officers requesting a response on the Forum’s comments regarding Coombe Dean School.

13.

CORRESPONDENCE pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To consider any correspondence received and note any correspondence sent by the Forum.

Minutes:

The Forum noted its correspondence.

14.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be held at 10:30am on Monday 2 September 2013 at the Council House, Armada Way, Plymouth.

Minutes:

Agreed that the next meeting of the Forum is held at 10.30am on Monday 2 September 2013.

15.

ISSUES ARISING FROM FORUM MEMBERS

To discuss any issues brought forward by members of the Forum.

Minutes:

The following issues were raised by Forum members –

 

(a)

the opening of the steps at the Royal William Yard was taking place at 12 noon on Wednesday 19 June 2013;

 

(b)

the LAF Secretary should continue to provide planning application notifications and other LAF related emails to all members on a weekly basis;

 

(c)

an update on the Plym Valley Cycle Trail; this was progressing well with the car-park now completed, signage being erected and the trail hopefully being fully completed sometime in July/ August 2013

 

(d)

an update on the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).