Final Minutes 13 May 2014

Tyne & Wear Local Access Forum – Notes of Meeting
13 May 2014, Gateshead Civic Centre
Present:
Victor Cadaxa
Ron Noble
Kathy Atkinson
Andy Blanchflower
Liz Bray (Chair)
Charlie Hall
Nigel Harrison
Anne Porthouse
In Attendance:
Heather Evans – CTC
Jim Milner, Natural England
John Bourn, North East Combined Authority
Rob Hindhaugh – Gateshead Council
Graeme Clark – ROW Officer, North Tyneside Council
Lisa Tracey – ROW Officer, South Tyneside
Tim Ducker – ROW Officer, Sunderland City Council
Neil Frier – Gateshead Council
Annabel Haynes* – Newcastle City Council
* author of note
1. Welcome and Apologies
Apologies received from Alisdair Buchan (Chair), Alison Blackburn, Terry Welsh and Simon
Carey.
In the Chair’s absence, the Vice Chair Liz Bray chaired and welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Declarations of Interest
None.
3. Natural England - presentation on Huddle (Jim Milner)
Jim Milner introduced Huddle to the members and demonstrated the various aspects and uses of
the software and the benefits to the Local Access Forum.
Action - Members wishing to be given access to Huddle should email Jim Milner (or AH who will
put the request to JM)
4. Minutes from previous meeting held 11th February 2011
Confirmed there were no members from South Tyneside but one representative from North
Tyneside.
AH to circulate contact details around the members once all agreed to this.
5. Matters Arising
None
6. Chair’s Report
As the Chair was unable to attend the meeting, no report was received.
7. Feedback from LAF National Conference (North) – V Cadaxa (report distributed)
Natural England holds two ‘national’ conferences – one in the north and one in the south and
members can attend either.
The LAF National Conference North was held in Durham on 7th March which both the Chair and V
Cadaxa (Vice Chair) attended.
VC provided a briefing note on the event and gave a short verbal update on the event.
VC mentioned that there had been a good spread of LAFs with a variety of experience.
8. Marley Hill Site Visit – 13th May
Following the visit today there was a discussion about the potential disruption should the open
cast go ahead and the pros and cons of this on access. All had enjoyed the day.
9. Officer Reports
Reports were received in advance from all districts. Main issues and concerns from each were
discussed:
Newcastle - report received, officer unable to attend.
Action – AH asked to clarify with S Carey what ‘omnibus Legal Event DMMO’ was – response
below:
“legal events that have been made (diversion orders, extinguishment orders, creation orders etc) that have taken
place - these events have to be added to the Definitive Map by way of a Modification Order which is an
administrative exercise to 'modify' the map i.e. record the changes to the network as a result of the aforementioned
legal events.”
South Tyneside
VC asked LT for a meeting with himself and RN to discuss the Excluded Area Definitive Map
Action - VC/RN to arrange meeting separately with LT
At meeting also discuss the closure of the Firing Range at Whitburn and the effect on the coastal
path at that location.
North Tyneside
G Clark advised that his post had formally been reinstated as 100% Rights of Way officer (he no
longer has the ‘Development Control’ part). Following this the Sustainable Access Working
Group (made up of local residents and statutory bodies, including Sustrans and Living Streets)
has been resurrected which KA attends.
Report identifies where work will take place but progress is slow despite having member backing
RN was concerned about the sites marked for development on North Tyneside Development Plan
– GC advised that the plan hasn’t been approved or confirmed yet. L Bray suggested that this be
picked up by the LAF Planning sub group.
Interest was shown in the £5M Wallsend Parks capital restoration – GC to investigate if a site visit
possible in the near future following meeting he has next week.
Gateshead
Definitive Maps was raised – suggestion is to consult the maps and come back to RH if got any
queries.
Cycle Way at Dunston Staithes was also raised – plan is to promote this along with Bike Week in
June. NF advised that work was ongoing with Comms and Wimpey (developers) and invites for
an open day would be forthcoming for local press and schools involved with related projects (e.g.
Feat 1st and Bike It).
Sunderland
Coastal path opening in south part of Sunderland – fully signed national trail
Washington network development plan includes lifting parapets over roads with £1.5M investment
in cycle routes across the area. L Bray asked if there would be an opening/launch event – TD not
sure, maybe when it’s all finished and up to scratch.
Some concern about local authority boundaries and the linkages of pathways/cycle
ways/bridleways,etc. TD confirmed that they will all link up in time.
N Frier left the meeting
10. Planning Working Group – V Cadaxa (report distributed)
VC gave a short update on the group’s activities to date. One of the main areas of discussion is
the Newcastle Gateshead One Core Strategy which is currently at review stage with an inspector
appointed and public meetings taking place. LB and A-Bl taking a keen interest.
11. Publicity and Membership Campaign – N Frier
South Tyneside has no members on the LAF and it was hoped to carry out some kind of
recruitment drive in the area. In NF’s absence, L Tracey (South Tyneside Rights of Way officer)
advised she had advertised the LAF in the council’s Countryside Newsletter in January (you can
sign up to receive this here: http://www.southtyneside.info/article/17064/Countryside-news ) and
that there was also a link via Facebook. LT also advised that landowners do not seem to be
interested.
Action – AH to contact NF to provide a further update/plan of action (done).
12. Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) – T Ducker
KA asked if the Equestrian Strategy was still part of the updated document. TD advised that yes,
it was still an annex document along with cycling and several others.
TD advised that the document essentially identifies what rights of way there currently are and
what we’d like. Obviously there is a gap here and rights of way officers are working towards
closing the gap. The document also highlights the priority areas in a table at the back of the
2011-21 updated document but no timescale is applied.
Action – AH to circulate the updated ROWIP 2011-21 (done)
13. Future Site Visits
•
River Don Valley walk – informal, members only for interest
•
Havannah Nature Reserve, Newcastle
•
Wallsend, North Tyneside
Action – GC to report back on timing to visit Wallsend
2015 Suggestion
International Advanced Manufacturing Park, Sunderland (Nissan expansion site) - TD was asked
what he knew about this expansion. To date, not a lot
Action – TD to look into in above development and report back at next meeting
14. Any Other Business
Training
L Bray provided a list of possible training topics with a suggestion of how the training could be
provided. The list is not exhaustive and not everyone might be interested in the subjects
identified. Please feel free to add others.
Action – AH to circulate electronically; all to complete and return to AH who will collate and
discuss with Chair and vice Chairs.
15. Dates of Future Meetings (5pm start, buffet available beforehand)
Tuesday 23rd September 2014
Whickham Room, Gateshead Civic
Tuesday 25th November 2014
Bridges Room, Gateshead Civic
Tuesday 24th February 2015
Whickham Room, Gateshead Civic
nd
Tuesday 2 June 2015
nd
Tuesday 22 September 2015
Whickham Room, Gateshead Civic
Whickham Room, Gateshead Civic

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