Agenda item

The Ramblers Big Pathwatch

 

By the Principal Public Rights of Way Officer, Anthony Hurst, RBWM.

Minutes:

The Principal Rights of Way Officer informed Members that the information report updated the Panel on the results of ‘The Ramblers Big Pathwatch’ national survey of public rights of way. 

 

Members were referred to pages 19-47 of the agenda.   

 

The Principal Rights of Way Officer stated that he had been pleased to see the Ramblers report published last week as it had singled out the Royal Borough for special praise. 

 

Members were shown extracts of the report detailing the praise given.  The Principal Rights of Way Officer explained that there were 307 km of public rights of way in the Royal Borough which equated to approximately a third of the Royal Borough’s total highway network.  It was noted that this was a similar picture to the national picture. 

 

The Chairman congratulated the officers involved and explained that she had herself informed the Leader of the success of the Big Pathwatch project.  Councillor Muir asked whether it would be possible to let the public and residents of the Royal Borough know of the hard work being done by the Council via the Around the Royal Borough newsletter / press release.  Members were informed by the Principal Rights of Way Officer that the Ramblers were looking to issue a press release via the Maidenhead Advertiser and that they planned to share it with the Council in the first instance.  It was suggested that there might be an opportunity that it could be done as a part of a joint press release.  The Chairman requested that it involved Parishes / Parish Councillors too.  The Chairman requested that a letter of thanks be written by the Principal Rights of Way Officer, on behalf of the Council to the Parish Councils involved in the Big Pathwatch project to thank them for all their help over the years.  Councillor S Rayner requested that information about the project be provided to the Eton, Eton Wick and Wraysbury wards.

 

The Principal Rights of Way Officer went on to show the Panel photos of  stiles replaced with gates at Bray footpath 41, Bray footpath 53 and Waltham St. Lawrence footpath 16. 

 

Members were informed that in the last couple of weeks there had been a Thames Path 20th Anniversary sixteen-day walk from the source of the Thames to the sea.  It was noted that walkers had gathered at Marlow for the start of day 9 of the walk from Marlow to Maidenhead.  A photo was shown to Members of the Thames Path walkers at Cockmarsh in Cookham along with a photo of the Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough, Councillor John Lenton, and the Mayor of Eton, Councillor Derek Bishop, handing over the relay baton to Joyce Keegan of the Windsor Ramblers Group. 

 

The Panel noted that Ramblers undertook a  condition survey of all the paths in the Royal Borough on a routine basis to ensure that paths were signposted appropriately.  It was stated that a member of the public was able to report if a sign was found to have been vandalised / damaged which the Council would then replace.  It was suggested that the extensive ramblers routes be published on the Royal Boroughs website which the Principal Rights of Way Officer confirmed already took place by way of links.  It was noted that all public rights of way that met a road should be signposted but that rights of way in urban areas did not need to be signposted.  The Chairman referred the Panel to pages 46 & 47 of the agenda and congratulated the Rights of Way team for their hard work.    

 

It was suggested that Councillor Lynne Jones worked with the Principal Rights of Way Officer to create a leaflet outlining the walks available in the Old Windsorward.

 

The Principal Rights of Way Officer informed the Panel that last week the Council had published the Thamesfield, Wraysbury Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMO) which had been made up of fourteen paths.  It was noted that there was now a six week public consultation period which had a deadline of the 09 September 2016 for land owner objections. 

 

The Principal Rights of Way Officer stated that a further update would be available in September.

 

The Chairman thanked the Principal Rights of Way Officer for his presentation which was echoed by the Panel.  Councillor Jones added that found the pictures included in the presentation to be really helpful.

 

UNANIMOUSLY AGREED That the Panel noted the report.

 

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