Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 - Section 94
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act places a new duty on county councils, unitary authorities and national park authorities to establish a Local Access Forum (LAF) for all or part of their geographical area.
The function of a LAF is to advise the appointing authority (AA), being the highway authority for the area (NCC) and any other bodies as may be prescribed, as to the improvement of public access to land in that area for the purposes of open air recreation and the enjoyment of the area and any other matters as may be prescribed. A LAF will be a statutory consultee.
The LAF will also have a strategic role in advising on rights of way and wider public access to the countryside, not just through the statutory rights of way improvement plan but also on other council agendas, for example health, tourism and sustainable transport. The LAF will have the opportunity to scrutinise the activities of all bodies in the area, which have a role in delivering access to the countryside. LAF's in general are seen as being the most influential initiative in the balanced management of access since the current framework was established by the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.
The LAF will advise on and assist in the introduction, management and review of the statutory right of access to the countryside. This task varies between authorities according to the amount of open countryside and registered common land in the area covered by the LAF. In Northamptonshire this is likely to be limited to the small amount of registered common land in the county, much of which is so small in area as to be of little practical use. However, the provisions of the CROW Act still apply and the LAF will be required to comment on the draft maps being prepared by the Mapping Authority (the Countryside Agency).
The LAF is expected to give advice on three main topics:
- Improvement of the rights of way network, in particular through the statutory rights of way improvement plan
- Integration of the rights of way network into related strategies to maximise its social, economic and environmental potential
- Implementation, management and review of the statutory right of access to the countryside.
The LAF is further expected to:
- Develop a constructive and inclusive approach to the improvement of recreational access to the countryside.
- Respect local circumstances and different interests while operating within national guidance.
- Provide advice on issues of principle and good practice which is consistent with national guidance.
- Engage in constructive debate and seek consensus wherever possible.
- Where consensus is not possible, make clear the nature of differing views and suggest how they might be resolved.
We would welcome any comments on the forthcoming Local Access Forum for Northamptonshire and in particular any views you have on:
- Membership of the LAF beyond the land managing and user group interests
- Suggestions for effective recruitment of members and publicity for the LAF's activities
- Wider countryside access issues the LAF could usefully address