An update to be provided by Lisa Hughes.

Lisa Hughes informed the Forum about Local Access Forum that she had joined. See Lisa Hughes’ notes below:

Local Access Forum

Background

The Local Access Forum is a partnership to promote and develop sustainable access for the growing benefit of the environment to our community.  'Access' in this context refers to the ability of all people to get to and make use of land in the borough, for example the countryside and its facilities, open spaces and public rights of way.

Established in 2003, the Forum is a statutory advisory group which advises the Council on the management and improvement of public access to land in the Royal Borough for open-air recreation.

It works closely with the borough council, rights of way user groups, landowners and parish and town councils. It also works with and provides advice to other bodies such as Natural England and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Forum membership can include up to 22 local people and is currently made up of a balance of 53% user interests, 29% land management, 6% other interests and 12% RBWM Councillors.

The forum meets twice a year and the next meeting is on November 8^th.

The Forum’s Recent and Planned Future Work

The Forum discussed and gave advice to the Council on the following topics during 2015/16:

·         Multi-user routes and bridleways.

·         M4 Smart Motorway proposals.

·         Ramblers Big Pathwatch.

·         Improvements for cycling.

·         Proposed diversion of Hurley Footpath 18 at Berkshire College of Agriculture.

·         Proposed gating of Eton Footpath 51 at Thameside, Eton.

·         Use of volunteers for works on public rights of way.

·         Responding to the South Lincs and Rutland LAF consultation regarding a national access forum.

The work programme for 2016/2017 is as follows:

·         Multi-User Routes

·         Fostering closer engagement with parish councils

·         Opportunities and issues with identified large development sites

·         Millennium Walk

·         Improvement to access at Ashley Hill, Hurley

The Impact of Green Spaces on Health & Wellbeing

It is now widely accepted that access to green space improves our mental wellbeing, reducing the need to treat for anxiety and mental health conditions.

Spending time in green spaces has been shown to produce levels and patterns of chemicals in

the brain associated with low stress and positive impacts on blood pressure.

Urban green spaces provide pleasant areas to relax and socialise, promoting greater levels of social activity and stronger neighbourhood relationships. This can be particularly important in maintaining a high quality of life for elderly people.

Representing People with Disabilities

I was recently invited to join the Local Access Forum and will be representing the interest of people with disabilities. My initial focus will be to try to improve access in the more urban of our green spaces for mobility and sensory impaired people. 

Structures on Rights of Way such as kissing gates, stiles, anti-motorcycle barriers and U chicanes can prevent access not only for people with mobility and visual impairments but also parents with children in pushchairs.

My plan is to contact local charities and community groups for people with disabilities to inform them about the work of both the Access Advisory Forum and the Local Access Forum and to gain insight into their members’ most pressing issues in the borough.

ACTION: Lisa Hughes to update the AAF of relevant recent LAF news.

Lynne Penn informed Members of an internal merger, the Parks and Countryside’s teams had merged into one now.

Robin Pemberton asked for information on the Thames Path on the way to Temple. The land had all been reclaimed by the farmers. Lisa Hughes would highlight at the Local Access Forum on the 8 November 2016.