Agenda item

Members reviewed a detailed report delivered by Ian Kelly, Head of the Countryside Access Service (CAS), which outlined the service’s activities during 2024–25 and provided an overview of planned initiatives and anticipated challenges for 2025–26. Andy Brown, Principal Public Rights of Way (PROW) Officer, and Beth Brown, Principal Definitive Map Officer, were also present to respond to any questions raised by the Forum.

Over the course of 2024-25 Members heard that the CAS had:

·       Successfully recruited a new Senior Public Rights of Way Officer.

·       Seen a significant state of flux in terms of staffing with a number of key personnel changes, however, the team had united in their determination to maintain the service.

·       Secured a further £150k of funding, utilised on the PROW network from sources external to CAS, to include National Trail Grants, Councillor localities budgets and National Landscape projects.

·       Seen case load pressures due to the number of Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) applications which continued to be submitted at a high rate despite the Government’s announcement that it intends to repeal the 2031 cut-off date for applications based on historic evidence.

·       Continued to work towards Natural England’s objective of establishing the Coast-to-Coast National Trail and were on track to complete most of the work in the North Yorkshire area ahead of the spring 2026 opening.

·       Delivered significant improvements to the PROW and Unsurfaced Unsealed Road (UUR) networks.

·       Continued to effectively utilise volunteers and Path Keeper groups to manage the networks, all despite significant changes to staffing within the service.

·       Commenced a significant programme of large-scale infrastructure installations with the addition of the bridge engineer.

The Chair remarked on the positive outlook while Councillor Jeffels praised Mr Kelly for an excellent report, commended the whole CAS team on their work and stated that he was awaiting the official opening of the Coast to Coast Trail with great interest as he considered it an investment in both public health and tourism.

In response to a query regarding whether there was a deadline for the Right to Apply for Public Path Orders (PPO) the Principal Definitive Map Officer explained that due to the general election and staffing changes at DEFRA, there had been no update on the implementation of the Rights of Way reforms included in the Deregulation Act.

Members expressed appreciation for the inclusion of the Muslim Hikers Walk on the Yorkshire Wolds Way in the report, noting how encouraging it was to see such initiatives highlighted.  They emphasised that access to the countryside should be inclusive and available to all, regardless of cultural background, and welcomed the sharing of this positive story.

Stephen Clark asked whether there were specific areas of the CAS’s work that the LAF could assist in prioritising.  In response, Mr Kelly noted that the service had previously consulted the LAF and confirmed that, should any further need arise, the service would certainly engage with the Forum again, as their support was highly valued and beneficial, particularly with CAS being such a small team. 

Mr Kelly advised that the service did not include a dedicated tourism officer, highlighting an opportunity to collaborate more closely with tourism colleagues. He acknowledged the challenging financial outlook but emphasised the significant value of the PROW network and added that the LAF had an important role to play in supporting this work.  The Chair suggested that officers from NYC’s health and tourism services be invited to a future LAF meeting to initiate dialogue and demonstrate the potential benefits of collaboration between the services.

Mr Brown highlighted that the UK National Parks were currently involved in a project that used mobile phone data to understand patterns of movement, visitor numbers, and pressure points in the parks. This helped park authorities make better decisions about infrastructure, conservation priorities, and public engagement, and it was hoped that NYC would have access to the data in the future.

The importance of the tourism economy and the role of countryside access in people’s daily lives was emphasised, particularly in urban hotspots such as Harrogate.  Each year, hundreds of hours of outdoor activities took place which contributed significantly to public health and wellbeing.  A study had estimated that Active Travel generated approximately £36 billion to the United Kingdom economy annually, this included substantial savings for the NHS, as people remained healthier into later life, and contributed to reduced pollution levels.  It was noted that CAS had been proactive in prioritising urban routes.

Resolved

That the report be noted.