Natural England

NCAF 6/5 Draft guidance to local authorities on local access forums

Background

2. In March 1999 the Government published the Framework document setting out its intention to provide for improved access to the countryside. The framework document proposed that national park and other local authorities establish non-statutory local countryside access forums to play a key advisory role on the different parts of the 'access package', focusing on issues of particular local relevance.

3. The Government asked the Countryside Agency to prepare good practice guidance on the role, membership and operation of local countryside access forums.

General approach

4. The National Countryside Access Forum discussed the guidance on local countryside access forums at their meetings in September and November 1999. The Forum's advice was taken into account in preparing the guidance.

5. A research contract was let in February 2000 to inform the preparation of the draft guidance. The final report was received on 17 April . A 'Research Note' on the study will be published in due course, and made available on the Agency's web site.

The Guidance

5. Annex 1 is the Agency Board paper (AP 00/22) which is being presented to the Board on 11 May 2000. The Board paper includes the draft guidance on local countryside access forums and a summary of the research study on existing local government mechanisms for consultation with local interests on recreation and access.

6. The guidance covers status, role and responsibilities, geographical coverage, membership and administration.

Next steps

7. The Agency Board's discussion will be reported to the Forum on 16 May. The Forum's discussion and any issues arising from it will be reported back to the Board at their next meeting, and taken into account in finalising the guidance.

8. The draft guidance on local countryside access forums will be piloted in the mapping test areas in the north and south of England. The Countryside Agency's north west and south east regional offices are holding seminars in May 2000 to promote the draft guidance to local and national park authorities, so that they can start setting local countryside access forums up from this summer. This experience will contribute to the production of guidance for all local authorities soon after the passage of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act. 

May 2000

Annex 1 

DRAFT GUIDANCE TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITIES ON LOCAL COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS FORUMS IN ENGLAND (AP 00/22)

Prepared by Nadia Little, Access Policy Branch

Summary and Recommendation

The Government asked the Countryside Agency to prepare good practice guidance for local and national park authorities on the establishment of local countryside access forums in England. 

We invite Board members to:

a. approve the draft guidance for local and national park authorities on local countryside access forums in England. The draft guidance is set out at Annex 1; 

b. approve the role proposed for the Countryside Agency as outlined in paragraph 9, subject to additional funds being provided by the Government; and 

c. approve the next steps for piloting the draft guidance as set out at paragraph 12. 

Background

1. In March 1999 the Government published the Framework document setting out its intention to provide for improved access to the countryside. It proposed that national park and other local authorities establish non-statutory local countryside access forums to play a key advisory role on the different parts of the 'access package', focusing on issues of particular local relevance. 

2. The Government asked the Countryside Agency to prepare good practice guidance on the role, membership and operation of local countryside access forums.

General approach

3. The National Countryside Access Forum discussed the guidance on local countryside access forums at their meetings in September and November 1999. We have taken the Forum's advice into account in preparing the guidance. 

4. A research contract was let in February 2000 to inform the preparation of the draft guidance. The purpose of the study was to examine existing local government mechanisms for liaison and consultation with local interests on recreation and access, to give advice on the lessons that can be learned for the establishment of local countryside access forums. The final report was received on 17 April. Annex 2 gives a summary of the study. A 'Research Note' on the study will be published in due course, and made available on the Agency's web site. 

The Guidance

5. Local countryside access forums will be non-statutory bodies
established by, and responsible to, local and national park authorities across England to help guide the provision of more and better access to the countryside. The advice they give will strongly influence how the local and national park authorities and the Countryside Agency perform their executive functions in relation to access to the countryside.

6. Annex 1 sets out draft guidance to provide local and national park authorities with a framework for the establishment of local countryside access forums in England. The guidance covers status, role and responsibilities, geographical coverage, membership and administration.

7. The guidance offers local and national park authorities flexibility within a national framework for establishing local countryside access forums. The main concern that local and national park authorities are likely to have about the guidance are the resources needed for its implementation.

Role of the Countryside Agency 

8. The cost of setting up and running local countryside access forums will fall to the local and national park authorities responsible for them. 

9. The Countryside Agency will be a recipient of some of the advice given by local countryside access forums. The Countryside Agency should aim to: 

a. endorse local countryside access forums which are set up and run according to the principles of the draft guidance, and existing forums which are adapted to run according to it;

b. have observer status on each local countryside access forum; 

c. help local countryside access forums to share knowledge and experience; 

d. set up a national monitoring programme for local countryside access forums; and

e. support by grant aid to eligible authorities the provision and function of local countryside access forums secretariat for a maximum period of three years. 

10. The Agency's support of local countryside access forums could cost in the region of £2m between 2001/02 and 2003/04. Grant aiding eligible authorities would form a large part of this cost. The Agency has made a bid to Government through the Comprehensive Spending Review for additional funding between 2001/02 and 2003/04 to support the proposed work on local countryside access forums. The outcome of this bid will be known in summer 2000. The Agency will not be able to contribute to the development of local countryside access forums if additional funding is not provided by Government.

Next steps

11. This paper and the Board's response to it will be presented to the National Countryside Access Forum on 16 May. The Forum's discussion and any issues arising from it will be reported back to the Board at their next meeting, and taken into account in finalising the guidance.

12. The draft guidance on local countryside access forums will be piloted in the mapping test areas in the north and south of England. The Countryside Agency's north west and south east regional offices are holding seminars in May 2000 to promote the draft guidance to local and national park authorities, so that they can start setting local countryside access forums up from this summer. This experience will contribute to the production of guidance for all local authorities soon after the passage of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act.

May 2000

Annex 1

DRAFT GUIDANCE TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITIES ON LOCAL COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS FORUMS IN ENGLAND

CONTENTS

Introduction

Role of the Countryside Agency

Role of Local and National Park Authorities

Status, role and responsibilities of local countryside access forums

Geographical coverage

Membership

Administration

DRAFT GUIDANCE TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITIES ON LOCAL COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS FORUMS IN ENGLAND

Introduction

1. The purpose of this guidance is to provide National Park and other local authorities (the authorities) with a framework for the establishment of local countryside access forums (local forums) in England. 

2. Local forums are to be established by the authorities across England to help guide the provision of more and better access to the countryside for a wide range of recreational use. Local forums are expected to form part of local government's long term arrangements for liaison and consultation with local interests on the provision and management of recreation and access. Local forums are likely to assist the authorities in discharging the best value duty given under Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999. 

3. This guidance gives the authorities advice on establishing local forums, including their:

Role of the Countryside Agency

4. This guidance is advisory. The Countryside Agency (the Agency) will endorse local forums which are set up and run according to the principles set out in it. The authorities may seek endorsement of existing forums, setting out why they believe that endorsement is justified.

5. As a recipient of advice from local forums the Agency looks to have observer status on each forum. The Agency aims to set up a national monitoring programme on local forums. The Agency will also help to establish links between the National Countryside Access Forum and local forums.

6. This guidance should be used with other guidance that the Agency will produce on how it will use its powers and carry out its duties in relation to mapping and access restrictions.

Role of Local and National Park Authorities 

7. National Park, County and Unitary Authorities and some London Boroughs and Metropolitan Councils (individually or together) will be expected to set up and run local forums wherever they can contribute to the purposes set out in this guidance.

8. The authorities will have the sole responsibility for ensuring that local forums fulfil the role set out for them in this guidance. The authorities will provide a secretariat to each local forum.

9. Local forums will provide advice to existing local government and other institutions. As a recipient of advice from the local forums authorities will have observer status on each forum rather than to be members of them. 

10. Elected members should not have an automatic right to be members of local forums, though they may choose to attend some meetings to lend support to a forum and receive advice directly from it. 

11. The authority must ensure clear communication between the local forum and the relevant committee and department. The chair and secretary of each forum must ensure that the forum's advice is reported through the appropriate channels and that the forum receives feedback on the extent to which its advice has been considered and acted upon.

12. Authorities will need to establish clear terms of reference and ensure that each local forum conforms with them. The terms of reference must describe a constructive approach to the improvement of recreational access to the countryside. They will form the basis for selecting members and the local forum should endorse them at its first meeting. Model terms of reference are given at Annex 1. 

13. It will be for the authorities to decide on the balance of effort to be given by a local forum at different times to the different responsibilities outlined below. Authorities will need to ensure that the work programme of each local forum is designed to deliver the outputs required by them and the Agency.

Status, role and responsibilities of local countryside access forums

Status

14. Local forums will be non-statutory bodies established by, and responsible to, individual or neighbouring authorities. Though they will not have the power to make decisions the advice they give will strongly influence how the authorities and the Agency perform their executive functions in relation to access to the countryside.

15. Local forums must operate openly. Meetings will be advertised in advance and be open to the public. Agendas, papers and minutes of meetings should be publicly available.

Role and responsibilities

16. Local forums will have the primary purpose of giving advice to the authorities and to the Agency on how to make the countryside more accessible and enjoyable for open-air recreation, in ways which address social, economic and environmental interests. They will encourage and assist access provision, giving strategic advice on issues of particular local relevance.

17. Local forums are expected to give advice on three main topics:

a. the development of recreation and access strategies which cater for a wide range of people; 

b. improvement of the rights of way network; and 

c. implementation of the statutory right of access to the countryside. 

18. Local forums will be more likely to be productive if they:

a. develop a constructive and inclusive approach to the improvement of recreational access to the countryside;

b. respect local circumstances and different interests while operating within national guidance; 

c. provide advice on issues of principle and good practice which is consistent with national guidance;

d. engage in constructive debate and seek consensus wherever possible; and 

e. where consensus is not possible, make clear the nature of differing views, and suggest how they might be resolved. 

Developing recreation and access strategies

19. The new access arrangements provide authorities with the opportunity to evaluate recreation and access provision across an area. It will be important that the right of access to open countryside is integrated with existing provision to provide opportunities for as wide a range of people as possible.

20. Local forums should advise the authorities on:

a. strategies for recreation and access which set rights of way and open access in a broad context, integrating provision for access, open-air recreation, transport, tourism, health and public information;

b. the extent to which strategies ensure that fair provision is made for all users; and 

c. the coordinated use of resources to deliver integrated recreation and access provision and management. 

Improving the rights of way network

21. Authorities are required [by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act] to review the adequacy of their rights of way network and prepare and publish plans which propose action to secure an improved network. Guidance on how to do this will be provided in a statutory code of practice on rights of way improvement plans. 

22. Local forums should give strategic advice to the authorities on:

a. reviews of rights of way, including the extent to which local rights of way meet the present and likely future needs of the public; 

b. the results of public consultation on the review and any particularly significant issues which have arisen from it; 

c. the priorities for the action plans which follow from the review; and 

d. progress in implementing the action plan. 

Implementation of the new statutory right of access to the countryside

23. Local forums can advise on and assist in the preparation for and introduction of the statutory right of access to the countryside. The scale of this task will vary according to the amount of open countryside and registered common land in the area covered by the local forum. 

24. In producing maps showing registered common land and open countryside (ie mountain, moor, heath and down), the Agency will:

a. produce guidance on procedures it will follow for mapping common land and open countryside; 

b. consult widely on draft maps showing the boundaries of registered common land and open countryside; 

c. produce provisional maps which take account of representations and advice made during consultation, for submission to the Secretary of State; and 

d. on confirmation or modification by the Secretary of State, issue conclusive maps. 

25. Local forums will be able to use local knowledge and contacts to help the Agency and its contractors take full account of local information in the production of maps. 

26. The Agency and National Park Authorities will have the power to close land or to apply restrictions to the right of access, on the grounds of nature conservation or heritage, specific land management needs, danger of fire, or other danger to the public in accordance with the legislation.

27. Restrictions on nature conservation and heritage grounds will be decided by the Agency (and in National Parks, National Park Authorities) in response to advice from English Nature and/or English Heritage. Decisions on closures or restrictions for reasons of fire risk or danger to the public will be made by the Agency and National Park Authorities either on their own initiative or in response to an application. Decisions on restrictions on land management grounds will be made following applications from those with an interest in the land.

28. In relation to the application of local restrictions to access, local forums will be asked by the Agency to:

a. identify any local issues that need to be taken into account in deciding how best to implement the advice received from English Nature and English Heritage, and in considering applications on land management grounds; 

b. advise on the consistency and general approach that the Agency and National Park Authorities are taking; and 

c. help to identify best practice for the management of restrictions in the area. 

29. It may not always be possible for the Agency and National Park Authorities to consult with local forums on each application for local restriction - especially where relatively short notice is given. However, they will aim to consult local forums on applications for all extensive or longer term local restrictions to access. 

Geographical coverage

30. The geographical coverage of individual local forums will vary depending on local circumstances. This should be determined after consultation with adjacent authorities and the Agency, and should take account of:

a. local government boundaries;

b. the scope for cooperation between overlapping and neighbouring authorities;

c. the existence of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs); and 

d. population centres, the scale of existing informal recreation opportunities and the likely recreational use and demand. 

31. The highest local authority tier in any area should set up and run local forums, so they will normally be created and managed by County Councils or Unitary Authorities. 

32. Where National Park or equivalent authorities exist, we would expect at least one local forum for the whole or part of the Park to be set up and run by them. Where AONBs exist, we would expect the authorities involved to come to an agreement about the benefit or otherwise of creating a local forum with coverage related to the AONB. 

33. Any authority proposing to set up a local forum should always consult and seek agreement from adjacent and 'lower tier' authorities about the proposed boundary. The Agency will not normally be able to endorse or participate in more than one local forum for any given geographical area.

34. Some unitary authorities - and particularly more urban ones - may find it is more practical to join with neighbouring authorities to form a local forum which can serve a larger area. A metropolitan authority which contains substantial areas of open countryside and registered common land access land might consider setting up a local forum, but it may more often wish to work with adjacent more rural authorities to ensure that the local forums set up by them adequately reflect and represent the needs of the urban population. The Agency strongly encourages this form of collaborative arrangement in rural areas which provide a significant recreation resource for adjacent conurbations.

35. Authorities serving extensive areas with relatively sparse recreation provision or demand might set up local forums covering much larger tracts than those managing more substantial supply and demand. The Agency expects every county to find at least one forum to be necessary and useful.

36. Authorities may consider basing a local forum on existing arrangements, modified where necessary. In considering the appropriateness of existing arrangements authorities should compare the role, geographical coverage, membership and administration of existing groups with the requirements set out in this guidance, and assess the potential for them to be adapted to form new local forums, to operate in an integrated way with them, or to be replaced by a new forum. 

37. If an authority decides to adapt or amalgamate existing groups to create a local forum, they should take steps to ensure that the remit and structure of the new forum conforms with the principles set out in this guidance. It may well be appropriate in many cases to identify a new chair for the new body. 

Membership

38. Each local forum will have a chair, secretary and members with a wide range of relevant interests and expertise.

39. It is recommended that the authorities make all appointments to local forums through open competition. Authorities must make known to the general public the possibility of appointment to a local forum through public advertisement for expressions of interest, and make appointments against clear published criteria. 

40. The open competition for chair and members should allow for the nomination of candidates. An 'appointment panel' should be set up by the authority to select the chair. The chair should then form part of this panel to select members from the applicants. This panel should be serviced by the lead authority and contain representatives from the co-operating authorities. 

41. The chair must be an individual who commands wide respect and who is capable of bringing together competing interests. It may be better if the chair is not formally a representative of or closely aligned to any of the major interest groups represented on the forum.

42. Membership should include a cross section of local interests in the countryside. It is essential that local forums are not capable of being dominated by any single interest group, or any coalition of like interests.

43. For effective working and to ensure that they can provide the advice required, it is recommended that an optimum number of 12-16 people, with a maximum of 20 is the appropriate size for local forums. The exact number should be influenced by the size of the geographical area covered by the local forum. Where there are a large number of local interests it will be important to identify members who can actively network with a number of groups, and who have experience of the needs of a range of interests.

44. Members should be appointed according to clear criteria which are set out in the terms of reference for each local forum. All members must have sufficient experience of the countryside in the local area to be able to make an informed and constructive contribution to improving access provision. Members in total must represent a broad range of experience of, and demonstrable interest in:

a. recreational use, for example walking, riding, climbing, cycling; 

b. land management, for example, tenants, landowners and occupiers, and others with an interest in the land; 

c. nature conservation, heritage, tourism, health, business, trade unions and transport; and 

d. the local area, who are not aligned to a single interest group but are able to bring a wide public view. 

45. In advertising for and making appointments, authorities should actively seek to include a number of members with appropriate personal qualities, but who are not aligned to any of the usual groups with an interest in the countryside. Such members can be very valuable if respected as independent, authoritative and fair, and can help prevent divisions along predictable lines being a brake on progress. Representation from at least one individual with experience of the needs of the disabled should be considered. 

46. Initially, it may be difficult for authorities to set up a forum which has the balance of interests or the quality of applicants required. In this situation the authorities should not allow this to cause a delay in setting up the local forum, but should make a first round of a minimum of 5 appointments including the chair. During the interim period until full membership was appointed the small group could reach decisions on advice by calling for representations from interested parties.

47. Before appointment forum members should be asked to confirm:

a. their support of the positive purpose of the forum; 

b. commitment to working within the terms of reference and achieving the aims of the local forum through constructive working with other members; and 

c. that they are able to devote the necessary time to attend meetings, training and to network with a wide range of interests outside meetings. 

48. The chair and members should initially be appointed for three years with the option to renew for a further three years. The authority should review the chairing and balance of membership after the first three years. The role of chair and membership must be readvertised after six years to ensure that the local forum remains relevant to the needs of the local area. The chair and members should be appointed on a voluntary basis but should be able to claim reasonable travel expenses from the authority for attendance at meetings, training events and for field visits.

49. The chair of the local forum may invite observers to meetings of the forum. Observers should be allowed to participate in the proceedings at the invitation of the chair. Representatives of the local authorities involved and the Agency will normally be present as observers. Other observers might include representatives of district councils in the area and expert staff from statutory agencies (e.g. English Nature; English Heritage and the Environment Agency). The number of observers and the extent of their participation should not be allowed to dominate the views and advice of the appointed members. 

Administration

50. The authority should provide a secretary to each local forum, and ensure that premises are available for meetings which can accommodate public attendance. It is recommended that the secretary of the local forum should be a named officer employed by the authority.

51. The role of the secretary should be to:

a. arrange and promote meetings; 

b. agree meeting agendas with the chair and circulate agendas and papers for meetings; 

c. help the chair to run the forum according to this guidance;

d. produce minutes of meetings; 

e. facilitate the provision of information to the public through a newsletter, meeting press releases or through an e-bulletin board; and 

f. produce a short annual report for the authority and the Agency. 

52. The secretary of the local forum will be the link between the local forum and the authority, the Agency and neighbouring local forums. The secretary will report, where appropriate, the views of the local forum to the Agency and to the relevant department and committee in the authority, and report back to the local forum on any responses or action taken following their advice. 

53. Local forums will normally meet quarterly. In the early stages of the implementation of the statutory right of access to the countryside it may be necessary for local forums to meet more frequently to ensure that the authorities and the Agency receives timely advice to inform the mapping and restriction management procedures.

54. Meetings must be open to the public and advertised well in advance. The chair will determine the public's right to ask questions. A record of each meeting must be available to the public. 

55. The first local forums will need to be established in the autumn 2000 so that they can begin the process of advising the Agency on its preparation for the implementation of the proposed Countryside and Rights of Way Act. The Agency will advise individual authorities of its programme for producing maps of access land once the procedures for doing so have become clearer.

56. The cost of setting up local forums will fall to the authorities responsible for them.

57. The Agency aims to set up a local forum monitoring programme. The authorities will be asked to contribute to this by preparing an annual report on the work of the forum. Monitoring could be based on indicators such as:

a. the extent to which the forum's advice has been used by the authorities and the Agency;

b. the extent to which members network with each other and others with an interest outside the forum; and

c. progress with the initial work programme.

Annex 1 

MODEL TERMS OF REFERENCE 
FOR LOCAL COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS FORUMS

Title

1. The ************** local countryside access forum

Role and responsibilities

2. The primary purpose of the *************** local countryside access forum is to provide advice to the authorities and to the Countryside Agency on how to make the countryside more accessible and enjoyable for open-air recreation, in ways which address social, economic and environmental interests. The forum will encourage and assist access provision, giving advice on issues of particular local relevance.

3. The **************local countryside access forum will give advice on three main topics:

a. development of recreation and access strategies which cater for a wide range of people;

b. improving the rights of way network; and

c. implementation of the statutory right of access to the countryside.

4. The ************** local countryside access forum will work to:

a. develop a constructive and inclusive approach to the improvement of recreational access to the countryside;

b. respect local circumstances and different interests while operating within national guidance;

c. provide advice on issues of principle and good practice which is consistent with national guidance;

d. engage in constructive debate and seek consensus wherever possible; and

e. where consensus is not possible, make clear the nature of differing views, and suggest how they might be resolved.

Membership

5. The membership will:

a. be balanced to avoid dominance by any single interest group or coalition of like interests; and

b. include a cross-section of local interests in the countryside.

6. The membership will include:

a. an independent chair; and

b. an optimum number of 12-16 and a maximum of 20 members.

7. Members in total must represent a broad range of experience of, and demonstrable interest in:

a. recreational use, for example walking, riding, climbing, cycling;

b. land management, for example, tenants, landowners and occupiers, and others with an interest in the land;

c. nature conservation, heritage, tourism, health, business, trade unions and transport; and 

d. the local area who are not aligned to a single interest group but are able to bring a wide public view.

8. Members will be appointed by the authority according to selection criteria 
which assess if candidates have sufficient experience of access to the countryside in the local area to be able to make an informed and constructive contribution to improving access provision. 

9. Before appointment members will be asked to confirm:

a. their support of the positive purpose of local forums;

b. commitment to working within the terms of reference and achieving the aims of the local forum through constructive working with other members; and
c. that they are able to devote the necessary time to attend meetings, training and with a wide range of interests outside meetings.

Administration

10. Meetings will be held at least quarterly, and more frequently when necessary.

11. Meeting agendas will be agreed between the chair and the secretary.

12. Meetings will be advertised in advance and held in public. 

13. Agendas, papers and minutes of meetings will be available to the public.

14. The chair will invite observers to the meeting when appropriate. 

15. Observers will be able to contribute to the proceedings at the discretion of the chair.

16. The public will be able to ask questions on the business of the meetings at the discretion of the chair. 

17. The lead authority will have the right to review the chairing and membership of the local forum on an annual basis if necessary. 

Annex 2

RESEARCH SUMMARY

THE ROLE, MEMBERSHIP AND OPERATION OF LOCAL COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS FORUMS

Research study

1. In February 2000 the Countryside Agency appointed Independent Research Services to examine existing local government mechanisms for liaison and consultation with local interests on recreation and access, and to advise it on the lessons that can be learned from these mechanisms in the establishment of local countryside access forums. 

2. The study covered England and Wales and was co-sponsored by the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales. 

3. The study included a:

a. literature review; 

b. questionnaire survey; and 

c. focus groups. 

Literature review

4. The literature review comprised a desk study to examine existing community liaison mechanisms and recent and planned legislative and administrative changes in local government.

5. The review provided a broad understanding of the role and practices of public consultation and participation. It has shown, however, that there is little available information on the actual practice and operation of existing forum arrangements. 

Questionnaire survey

6. A questionnaire was sent to a total of 187 authorities and organisations in England and Wales. The sample included county, district and unitary councils, National Parks, interest groups, government agencies and professional bodies. A total of 181 questionnaires were completed giving information on the operation of over 200 existing recreation and access liaison groups or forums.
7. The questionnaire survey identified national conventions in the development and operation of existing access liaison groups and has provided examples of good as well as unsatisfactory practice. The common elements to the most effective groups were; an optimum membership of 20, clear terms of reference or objectives, regular review of membership, comprehensive feedback from meetings, and effective monitoring systems.

Focus groups

8. Focus groups were used to explore the issues raised in the literature review and questionnaire survey in depth. A series of 7 (4 in England and 3 in Wales) single interest focus groups were conducted on a regional basis. Focus groups were restricted to 10 participants and included local authority officers, user and other interest groups.

Advice

9. The consultants found that there was a the results of the desk study, questionnaire survey and focus groups complemented each other, and this enabled them to give clear advice to the Agency.

Status, role and responsibilities

10. The advice is that:

a. a strategic emphasis to the work of local forums is appropriate; 

b. non-statutory status is sufficient to undertake the strategic role envisaged; 

c. the Agency should prepare national terms of reference for local forums operation, which allow flexibility for adaptation at the local level; 

d. the Agency must back local forums advisory role with additional resources; 

e. channels of communication between local forums and local authorities and the local forums and the Agency must be clearly articulated; 

f. the authorities and government agencies should have observer status at all local forums;

g. the Agency should take steps to ensure that all local forums have access to specialist advice on environmental and conservation issues that affect recreation and access; and

h. elected members of authorities should not have an automatic right to membership of a local forum, although they should be allowed to take up a place if nominated and appointed. 

Geographical coverage

11. The advice is that:

a. existing local highway authority boundaries should be the 'norm' for geographical coverage; with the exception being in national parks where the park boundary should denote the extent of coverage, and there is a case for extending this to AONBs particularly where they have existing groups; 

b. the Agency's guidance should suggest that the local forum boundaries coincide with local authority boundaries, but flexibility given for alternative boundaries where there is a case for it; 

c. in large shire counties there may be a need for more than one local forum - but there is a strong case for retaining administrative boundaries as local forum boundaries - solution would be to have one local forum for the large shire county, but set up sub-groups (2 or 3 of the members) of the forum to deal with particular areas; and

d. a single tier of forum dealing with recreation and access is desirable in the long term, but existing recreation and access liaison groups should be allowed a transition period of up to three years. 

Membership

12. The advice is that:

a. three options emerged for the size of local forums; open, unlimited membership; 12-16 named members; and a maximum of 5 members; 

b. the Agency's guidance should indicate that the ideal size for a local forum is 12-16 members, with a maximum of 20 members; 

c. the exact number of members should be influenced by the area of geographical coverage; 

d. all membership selection should be through 'open competition' which allows for the nomination of candidates; 

e. selection should be made by a pre-appointed chair in consultation with the authority; 

f. members might be appointed in stages if it is difficult to achieve the required balance of interests in candidates - the first stage being the appointment of a chair and 4 members who would reach decisions on advice after calling for representations from interested groups; 

g. the Agency should take a direct lead in the appointment of the first chair of each local forum; 

h. the chair should be seen to be independent from the issues being discussed and should be capable of making impartial decisions;

i. all membership should be on a time-limited basis, although this should be renewable - an initial period of 3 years renewable for a further term;

j. a series of training days should be initiated for members; and 

k. the Agency should establish a protocol governing the action of members. 

Administration

13. The advice is that:

a. meetings should be held in public; 

b. the public should be able to contribute to meetings at the chairperson's discretion; 

c. to ensure independence and consistency national monitoring should be set up by the Agency, not the authorities; 

d. an annual report should be produced by the local forum and discussed at an annual public meeting to ensure accountability to local people; 

e. the secretariat should be a named person provided by the authorities;

f. the secretariat should report to 'sponsoring' committees in the authorities, at which local forum reports should be standing agenda items;

g. the secretariat should have the responsibility for preparing monitoring data and the production of an annual report;

h. frequent meetings, perhaps bimonthly will be needed initially- but after 2 years normal meetings might run on a quarterly basis; and

i. meetings should be arranged to coincide with the appropriate cycle of authority and National Countryside Access Forum meetings.