To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for Absence were received from Councillors Diment and S Rayner.

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item to be considered at this meeting.

No Declarations of Interest were received.

To confirm the Part I minutes of the Panel held on the 15^th March 2018.

That the Part I minutes of the Panel held on the 5^th March 2018  be agreed as a correct record.

To receive a presentation and update on the above titled item.

The Chairman informed the Panel of a ploughing match on 3 October 2018 at Berkshire College of Agriculture in Burchetts Green, Hurley.

Anthony Hurst, Parks and Countryside Team Leader outlined the report on the Public Rights of Way six monthly progress report. The Team Leader provided a presentation on the changes and improvements made to the path network over the past 6 months with before and after photos.

The Panel were informed about the twelve outstanding maintenance and enforcement issues. Anthony Hurst informed the Panel that this was a slight increase from the last meeting. He informed the Panel members of the results of the Thamesfield Inquiry published on 19^th July for claimed footpaths.  There had been Modification Orders made to add fourteen footpaths to the Public Rights of Way network. Thirteen of the fourteen orders had been now been confirmed as part of the Public Rights of Way network and of those thirteen, eleven were already fully open and available for public use. Arrangements were being put into place to re-open the remaining two footpaths that were currently blocked. Public footpath signs had been installed at the entrances to the footpaths from the surrounding road network.

Anthony Hurst informed Members that a new bridge linking Bray Road to the Green Way at Braywick Park was going to be opened on Monday 17 September 2018. Members were welcome to attend. The bridge was being named ‘Margaret’s Bridge’ in Memory of Margaret Bowdery, former president of East Berkshire Ramblers. The Chairman commented on the components used to make  the bridge, Anthony Hurst confirmed that  the bridge superstructure is made from steel, and the decking is wood, but other elements of the structure including the ramps are made from  a recycled plastic material that looked like wood but was  lower cost  and longer lasting.

Anthony Hurst informed Members of all the work carried out by volunteers and how many days they had contributed and the cost savings for the council. The volunteers had completed 265 days carrying out tasks such as vegetation clearance, litter picking, surfacing of footpaths and boadwalk repair and construction.

The Chairman informed the Panel about the Local Access Forum and the next meeting date and invited all to attend. The next meeting of the Local Access Forum was on 11 October 2018.

The Chairman informed the Panel of the cold case file and that it consisted of outstanding issues that could be reopened in the future. These issues were kept on file in case circumstances changed.  A full list was produced at the meeting for members to review.

The future meeting dates were noted as below:

·         3^rd December 2018 at 6.30pm

·         4^th March 2019 at 6.30pm

Panel Members noted the dates of the future meetings.