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Agenda item

Public Rights of Way

To receive a presentation on the service’s future obligations to effectively maintain public rights of way.  [Report to follow]

 

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Richard Knight, Countryside Maintenance Manager, Shona Butter, Rights of Way Mapping and Enforcement Manager, Peter Carr, P3 Volunteer and Pete Banford, South Shropshire Lead Programme Manager, Outdoor Partnerships to the meeting.  She reminded the Committee that it previously considered this item at its meeting in March 2019 when the Rights of Way Mapping and Enforcement Manager and the Interim Head of Culture and Leisure had given an overview of how the service managed and maintained the Public Rights of Way network whilst highlighting the pressures and challenges for the service.

The Committee received a presentation (copy of slides attached to the signed Minutes) which covered the following areas:

·  What are we responsible for?

·  The existing network

·  Bridges and surfaces on PROW (Public Rights of Way)

·  Contracting examples

·  Staffing Pressures

·  Parish Paths Partnership

Members heard that Shropshire had a very large network of public rights of way with over 5,600km, making it the third largest in the Country. However, funds were short and it was a struggle to maintain this network.  It was therefore hoped to produce a paper to go to Full Council seeking assistance. 

Looking at their responsibility for bridges and surfaces, the Countryside Maintenance Manager highlighted a number of examples of different types of bridges that required work including cast iron, listed bridges, railway bridges, stone arches etc, along with a number of structures that required inspection by an engineer.  The Countryside Maintenance Manager then gave some examples of surface repairs including along Byways Open to All traffic and bridle paths.  Responsibility for the maintenance of some of these bridges and surfaces was shared with the landowner.  It was confirmed that there were approximately 50 large structures on the network that required inspection with upwards of £1/2m urgent work required.  A capital bid was being made in order to deal with the top 30 of these.

In response to a query, the Countryside Maintenance Manager explained the difficulties in attempting to close Byways Open to All traffic to vehicles as there was a legal right for vehicular access but obviously not to deliberately cause damage.  It is in the remit of the police to enforce illegal vehicular usage on closed Byways (but there are not the resources to do so). There was a legal duty on the team to maintain all rights of way.

The Committee were informed that the Outdoor Partnerships team were always looking for commercial opportunities and had an income target of £85,000.  Examples were given of how income was generated, for example grounds maintenance for schools and Parish Council’s etc. 

In response to a query officers explained that there were 10 members of staff in the team, 2.5 of which worked full time on contracting whilst the rest dealt with the statutory rights of way work.

The Rights of Way Mapping and Enforcement Manager informed the Committee of the current staffing pressures within the mapping and enforcement team withtwo of their most experienced officers due to retire, which left herself, one Planning officer and one officer on maternity leave.  It was confirmed that the staffing model was being looked at to ensure that the Council’s statutory duty was met whilst adding value and generating income.

Turning to the Parish Paths Partnership (P3), the Rights of Way Mapping and Enforcement Manager reported that the number of volunteer hours had increased by 24% over the last four years.  She gave some examples of the work undertaken by these volunteers including replacing stiles with gates, step work, plank bridges, clearance work etc. 

Peter Carr, an active P3 volunteer informed the meeting about his group which was struggling as there were only two active volunteers.  They were however trying to drum up more volunteers and hoped to utilise Shropshire Young Ramblers albeit only at weekends. He explained how groups could determine their own priorities, they knew the paths and routes people used, so could work out what improvements were required.  They would then talk to Richard’s team to agree work around the urban fringe. 

He then gave some examples of the work undertaken by the Group.  Mr Carr explained the multiple benefits of the groups including helping the Council to meet its statutory requirements, physical exercise, socialisation, opening up paths to the public, satisfaction of seeing people using the paths.  It also had huge health and wellbeing benefits. In response to a query, it was confirmed that more staff would be required should the P3 scheme be expanded.

The Committee thanked the officers for attending the meeting and for their presentation. The team were urged to get a paper together for Cabinet bringing in all the points so that Cabinet recognised where the pressure points were.  The team was extremely stretched and cabinet needed to think proactively in terms of funding streams in order to better support and link in with health and wellbeing agenda.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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