Breadcrumbs
NCAF 11/1 Consulting on the Boundaries of Open Access Land
2. This paper sets out an outline the Agency's consultation plans and provides an update on some of the activities that have already been organised. A more detailed description of the consultation plan can be found at Appendix 1
Background to the Consultation Plan
3. The Countryside Agency have a duty under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to consult extensively on the draft maps of registered common land and open country. This is a significant area of work and it is important that the Agency are seen to be adopting a nationally consistent approach to consultation which is as informative and as inclusive as possible. This means that anybody who wishes to view and comment on the draft maps should be able to do so.
4. To make the mapping and consultation process as efficient as possible, England has been divided up in to 8 mapping areas (see Appendix 2 for mapping areas and timetable). To ensure a nationally consistent approach the same consultation activities will be carried out in each mapping area. In each area, consultation activities will start three months before the draft maps are published. In the two lead areas (north west and south east) consultation activities are due to commence in June 2001, with the pre draft map information campaign.
The Consultation Process
5. The Consultation plan consists of three main stages: pre draft map publicity; the formal consultation period; and the determination period.
Pre Draft Map Publicity
6. In each region, at the start of the mapping process, the Agency will hold meetings with local access forums (where they have been established) and also run three regional seminars for organisations representing the interests of users, landowners and occupiers and access managers (e.g. local authorities and national parks). The purpose of all these meetings is to tell the organisations what we are doing, invite them to submit any relevant information they may hold, and ask them to pass on the information they have heard to their local networks.
7. During the pre draft map period we will also be running a local information campaign. This campaign will tell people about the process, how they can get involved and provide location details for the public road shows and viewing of the draft maps. The campaign will run articles and adverts in the press and on local radio, issue relevant information on the Agency's web site and place information boards, leaflets and posters in public locations such as supermarkets, schools, bus stations and local authority offices.
The Consultation period
8. The public consultation period will start immediately after the draft map has been issued, and run for three months. During this period any one who wishes to can comment on the draft map. To assist this process the Agency are planning to make both information on the process and the draft maps widely available.
9. The following activities will be carried out in each region, during the three month consultation period:
- The publicity campaign will continue to run throughout the three month period, this may also be supplemented with a targeted leaflet drop in "hot spot" areas.
- Public road shows will be held though out the mapping area taking in both rural an urban areas. The road shows will comprise both formal and informal opportunities for people to view and comment on the draft maps and talk to Agency representatives about the mapping process, the proposed access areas and anything else that they wish to raise.
- Local Access Forums will be met to discuss strategic and specific issues relevant to their particular area;
- The draft maps will be on view to the general public in (at least) the following locations:
- consultation road shows;
- the relevant Countryside Agency regional office;
- national park authority offices (where applicable);
- one or more offices of every district, country and unitary council within the area; and
- on the web site.
- Draft maps (or relevant sections of it) will be issued to statutory consultees. This list will be defined in regulations yet to be finalised, but is likely to include local authorities, parish councils, national park authorities, English Nature, English Heritage and the main representative organisations of user and land owning organisations.
10. The National access help line (0845 1003298) is now operational. People can call this local call rate number for information and advice. At present it is staffed between (9:00 am and 5:00 p.m. - but these hours will be extended when we 'open for business' formally after the election.
11. The Agency are also producing an information video on the mapping process. This will be used at the public road shows to ensure a consistent message is put out, and will also be sent to groups and organisations which we are unable to visit personally ( e.g. Parish Councils).
Submitting comments on the draft maps
12. Anyone may make a comment on the draft map within the consultation period. However only attributable written comments will be accepted and formally evaluated. A record of informal comments will be held but no action wll be taken unless they are followed up by or coincident with a formal written representation.
13. A standard form for commenting on the draft maps will be available where ever the maps are on view. The form will guide people through the information required, including identification of the land parcel that they are commenting on. It will also ask whether the person commenting thinks that the land should or should not be shown on the draft map as registered common land or open access land.
14. All comments received on individual land parcels during the consultation period will be logged and recorded on a database.
The Determination Period
15. After the close of the consultation period the Agency have three months in which to evaluate the responses received and determine what, if any, changes are required to the draft map.
16. The Countryside Agency may, where necessary, seek clarification of the responses in order to reach a fully informed conclusion. It is important to note that determination must follow the approach set out in the mapping methodology to be defensible. The Agency is not empowered to enter into a negotiation over the inclusion or exclusion of land on the provisional map; either before, during or following formal consultation.
17. The Agency will make changes to the draft map if it is clear that we have misapplied our mapping methodology. We will keep a register of all the decisions made and the justification for them.
18. A detailed report on the consultation process will be published at the same time as the provisional map is issued for the area. This report will list all the written representations received, the outcome of the representation and the justification for the decision in each case. We are considering making this report available on a searchable CD ROM, as well as in hard copy.
What we have done to date
19. During mid May the Agency are holding three national seminars for representative organisations of access managers, landowners and occupiers and user groups. The purpose of these meetings is to explain how we propose to map and consult on the boundaries of registered common land and open country in England, and hear views. We have asked participants to pass this information on through their regional and local contacts and have also invite them to give us any information that they think may help inform the mapping process.
20. By time the NCAF meets we will also have held the regional seminars in the two lead areas.
