Agenda item

Report by Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

8.1 The Assistant Director, Operations introduced the report, setting out the background to the Strategy and next steps with a report going to the Cabinet meeting on 27 June 2017. The Team Manager, Rights of Way and Countryside, gave a presentation on the Strategy, which outlined the Scrutiny Committee’s involvement, consultation feedback and the next steps for the Strategy.

8.2 The main recommendations of the Countryside Access Strategy are:

·          The management of Rights of Way (RoW) should stay in house;

·          East Sussex County Council (ESCC) will seek to transfer management of eight Countryside Sites to other suitable organisations; and

·          The department should seek to maximise income to support the service.

8.3 The ETE Scrutiny Review Board supported the in-house management of Rights of Way and income generation that supports the service. In regard to the Countryside Sites, the Board supported the transfer of sites to other suitable organisations with safeguards to protect public access and wildlife.

Public Consultation Results

8.4 The Team Manager, Rights of Way and Countryside summarised the results of the public consultation. Of those who responded to the consultation, 80% supported retaining the management of RoW in house, and 56% supported transfer of the management of Countryside Sites. Comments received from organisations included the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) who supported the transfer of Countryside Sites and are interested in managing sites. The only Local Authority to object to the transfer of sites was Wealden District Council, who were reassured that the management of the Cuckoo Trail will not change.

Comments from residents and other stakeholders

8.5 The comments from residents and other stakeholders included:

·          Requests for more detail on the Countryside Site proposals, in order to be able to comment on them properly;

·          There was a view that the Seven Sisters Country Park (SSCP) should stay in ESCC management as this was such an important and iconic site for the County.

·          Chailey Common Local Nature Reserve (LNR) –  The comments received about this site strongly objected to transfer of management as the respondents thought that ESCC is doing a good job in managing a complex site, and do not want this to change (ESCC does not own this site).

·          Wier Wood – The respondents were happy with current ESCC management and were worried that site management will suffer if ESCC was not there to act as a link between the landowner (Southern Water) and the Friends Group.

Next Steps

8.6 The Team Manager, Rights of Way and Countryside explained that the next stage for the Strategy was a report to Cabinet on 27 June 2017, which will ask Cabinet to note the consultation results and agree the Strategy. The report will make it clear that the implementation of the Strategy will not include the option of a private sale of any of the Countryside Sites, and ESCC will only work with suitable organisations that have track record of good site management. The department will appoint a new Project Manager to lead on the implementation stage, and will aim to implement the Strategy over the next 18 months.

8.7 The Committee congratulated the team on their work in developing the Strategy and welcomed that the focus for change is the management of the Countryside Sites. The Committee asked for further information about the concerns that were expressed by the respondents to the consultation.

8.8 The Team Manager, Rights of Way and Countryside provided a summary of the concerns raised by respondents:

·          Wealden District Council (WDC) are happy with management of Cuckoo Trial and this appeared to be their main concern. The Team Manager, Rights of Way and Countryside met with officers from WDC to discuss their concerns, and to explain that the proposal to keep the management of the Cuckoo Trail in house.

·          In regard to the Countryside Sites, respondents’ concerns were centred on maintaining public access, site designations (e.g. as Nature Reserves etc.) and wildlife management. As the Strategy is quite high level, it did not contain detailed proposals for the future management of each Countryside Site, which may have reduced these concerns.

·          An analysis showed that 16% of concerns from respondents reflected the desire to see no change in management of Countryside Sites.

·          Concerns may also have arisen because it was not possible to name the types of organisation that ESCC is proposing to approach about the transfer of the management of the Countryside Sites.

8.9 The Committee asked about the ownership status of the Countryside Sites. The Assistant Director, Operations outlined that the ownership of sites is a mixed. Some sites are owned by ESCC (e.g. Seven Sisters County Park) whilst others, such as Chailey Common, are not owned by the Council. In this instance the Parish Council and local private landowners own Chailey Common and ESCC manage it on their behalf.

8.10     The Committee also asked whether it was the intention that the Council will retain the freehold title of the ESCC owned sites. The Assistant Director, Operations responded that this is something to be examined, and a decision on this has not been taken.

Summary Comments

8.11     The Director of Communities, Economy and Transport outlined that the financial pressures on Local Authorities will continue, and there are organisations that are better placed to manage Countryside Sites and enhance them through conservation management, interpretation and tourism and leisure activities. The Assistant Director, Operations added that Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is example of how ESCC has successfully transferred the management of a Countryside Site.

8.12     The Committee noted that as well as maintaining public access and wildlife management, the Strategy also needs to consider reducing the Council’s liability. It also commented that it would be helpful to provide information, in the wider public domain, on the types of organisation that may be involved in the future management of Countryside sites.

8.13     Committee RESOLVED to:

1)         Note the contents of the draft Countryside Access Strategy;

2)         Support the Strategy proposals for the retention of the in house management of Rights of Way; and

3)         Support the proposals for the transfer of Countryside Sites to suitable organisations with the necessary safeguards regarding access and conservation management.