Issue - meetings

Report by Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

60.1     The Cabinet considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

60.2     It was RESOLVED to:

1)    Note the draft Countryside Access Strategy and agree that it is publically consulted on for a 12 week period; and

2)    Agree to increase the car parking charges as set out in Appendix 5 of the report

Reason

60.3     The draft Countryside Access Strategy sets out how the County Council proposes to meet its statutory obligations in respect of public rights of way and countryside site management while maximising the contribution they can make to the Council’s priorities. The Cabinet has agreed that the draft strategy be subject to a   12 week public consultation. The Cabinet has also agree to increase the car park tariffs at the Seven Sisters Country Park as set out in Appendix 5 of the report as these charges have not been increased since 2009

42.1     The Assistant Director, Operations introduced the report on the strategic commissioning project for the rights of way and countryside site management functions. In March 2014 the Committee received a report from Rights of Way and Countryside Maintenance (RoW/CM) Manager, Simon Fathers, outlining the service and the associated costs. As part of the recommendations of the March 2014 report, the Committee endorsed the development of a commissioning strategy for rights of way and countryside site management.

42.2     Alice Henderson, who is the Project Manager of the commissioning strategy project, outlined the work that has been undertaken to date and the various key stages in the project timetable (paragraph 2.3 of the report). Usage and stakeholder surveys have been undertaken to understand peoples’ views on the services and sites that the service manages. The surveys have also sought to gather data on the use of sites, services and rights of way. This has been an important preliminary stage in the project as there is limited existing data to inform our understanding of need.

42.3     The report seeks the Scrutiny Committee’s view on the way in which the Committee would like to be involved with the commissioning strategy project.

Cost of Existing Services

42.4     The revenue budget for the RoW/CM team is £570,000 per year. This divided into two parts:

·        Maintenance of the 200 mile rights of way network £440,000 per year.

·        Maintenance of the ten countryside sites £130,000 per year.

42.5     The revenue budget for this service has been reduced by £384,000 in the last three years. In 2014/15 there was also a £330,000 capital budget which was used for resurfacing larger rights of way routes and the bridge replacement programme.

42.6     The Committee asked if the department had a view on how much of this budget would be needed as savings in future financial years from 2016/17 onwards. The Director of Communities, Economy and Transport stated that the level of corporate savings in future years was yet to be determined. In addition, the department does not want to prejudice the outcome of the strategic commissioning process, but it was incumbent on all Departments to look at different ways of delivering services.

42.7     The department has undertaken preliminary work to understand how the public regard the service and to understand the need for the rights of way and countryside site service. Once this work is advanced or completed, the department can then look at ways of meeting those needs, within the resources available. The information data gathered as part of the strategic commissioning process will be analysed together with the existing asset management plan.

Parish Councils, Voluntary Groups and Volunteers

42.8     The Committee asked what support there is from the Parish Councils and volunteers in the maintenance of rights of way. The amount of support from Parish Councils varies around the County. Some are very active, but others are less involved in rights of way and countryside site management. Experience suggests that Parish Councils are only usually interested  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42