Minutes:
Helen Clayton, DCC, reported that the next Public Rights of Way Committee would be on 9 November. A Public Inquiry was taking place at Cruwys Morchard on 13 December. No statements of case had been received and DCC is neutral. A further Public Inquiry was scheduled for Berrynarbor in April 2018, for a restricted byway, and again DCC is neutral.
No appeal had been received on the River Coly footpaths. DCC had to ensure the route is open and available. Discussions are taking place with landowners about bridge installation and a diversion on the middle section is being discussed to avoid two bridges. It is likely work would take place from April 2018 onwards due to river work, in liaison with landowners.
Three P3 workshops were being held in Crediton, Great Torrington and Ivybridge. John Daw offered to attend the Crediton event.
Action: John Daw.
The Public Rights of Way team is involved in significant planning application work and is asking for contributions for improvements, where appropriate, for example on the Tarka Trail.
Ros Mills, DCC, confirmed that easy to use figures for the public rights of way network stood at 96%, with help from P3 groups, and category 12 routes at 93%. Inspection of the network took place on a three year cycle and over 4500 km had been inspected. This represented 62%, down by about 430 km. Category 12 routes (582 km in total) were inspected each year and inspections were at 53%, down by about 100 km. This was a reflection of the increased workload, for example Wardens now inspected smaller bridges and had responsibility for cycle/multi-use trails.
Some capital schemes had been delivered, for example a new bridge at Bellamarsh, Newton Abbot, and improvements to the cycle/multi-use network.
83% of the capital budget for the year had been committed. Wardens’ work has half the budget and there are additional budgets for agency agreements with the two National Parks; structures; P3; small community schemes; the design and bridges section; cycleway maintenance and the coast path.
The length of the public rights of way network was more dynamic than the road network with an increase of 8.6 km since February 2017 and another 3.6 km of unclassified unsurfaced County roads had been identified. Major work resulted from the Definitive Map Review process, for example restricted byway bridge crossings.
Public Rights of Way had 53 small contractors on its books, appointed through a tender process for a two year contract. These contractors were frequently more cost effective than the main highway contractor.
The Trail Riders’ Fellowship and other groups were thanked for their assistance in maintaining the network.
A reduction in budget was anticipated in 2018-19. The PRoW team is keen to have ‘shovel-ready’ schemes available should there be any money that needed to be spent quickly.
Meg Booth had been appointed as the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste.
A key priority is health and safety and the new DCC highway framework contractor, Skanska, is involved in sharing good practice.
The Chair mentioned concerns that had been raised by Andrew Cox, DCAF member, and Philip Hackett following the Development Management Committee meeting. At this meeting one of the recreational trail applications for Meeth had been approved and the other had been deferred, despite a request by the DCAF that the two should be considered as a whole. At Hole Station on the Ruby Way, the application had also been deferred in order for an alternative route to be investigated. Philip Hackett of the BHS had expressed concerns about safety for access users should the alternative route, primarily on-road, be the final preferred option. Ros Mills, DCC, confirmed that the PRoW team can input to design elements but the final decision was up to committee members with advice from officers. She suggested, and it was agreed, that the best approach would be for Mr Cox and Mr Hackett to write to the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment.
Action: Forum Officer to respond to Mr Cox and Mr Hackett.