I am delighted to have been invited to this gathering of local access forum members, and would first like to thank Duncan for his efforts in bringing us all together today.
I am particularly pleased to be talking to you at this time because we have recently reached an historic milestone for public access to land. Two weeks ago we celebrated the commencement of the right of access to open country in the final two mapping regions of England. This was a great achievement and the culmination of a huge amount of work by many individuals and organisations. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone here who has been involved in implementing the new right of access.
There are now 81 forums in England, most of which have been running for over 2 years. During that time forums have been giving advice on a wide range of access, rights of way and open air recreation issues. So now is a good time to take stock of what has been achieved and to look to the future. This includes thinking about how we in the centre develop and support local access forums in carrying out the role which Parliament has given them, so that decision-makers can rely on the best possible advice from people with genuine on-the-ground knowledge and experience.My vision, which I hope you will share, is to see all forums regarded by decision-makers as a valued source of independent, incisive, informed and influential advice on access and open-air recreation issues. A relatively low-cost - but very knowledgeable - consultancy service, if you like ! Many forums have already achieved that status, or are working towards it, but I know that the research carried out for the Countryside Agency, which you heard about this morning, showed that there is still much that we can do to help forums in meeting the challenge.
I am particularly conscious that most forum members are volunteers who are giving freely of their time and knowledge. I would therefore like to express thanks to you for the work which you do. To my mind it also that makes it even more important that you are given the help and support which you require.
Supporting the work of Forums
Defra, with the Countryside Agency, is therefore implementing a series of measures to support the work which you do. One of the first things we are doing is to improve the regulatory framework, to provide greater flexibility for forums to change their structures. We are also looking at ways to provide better guidance and information, and to facilitate better communication through events like this.
I am sure we all have ideas about what could be done to support and develop forums. I would be interested to hear your ideas and would in particular encourage you to respond to the current Defra public consultation, which closes on 29th November.
Creation of Natural England
As you have already heard, in October 2006 English Nature, together with parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service, are to be merged into a new body known as Natural England. This will help to champion integrated resource management - in part through agri-environment schemes, as well as nature conservation, biodiversity, landscape, access and recreation. Looking at these issues in a more holistic way will deliver many benefits. For local access forums, it will mean that your advice to Natural England can better influence the wider context, such as through agri-environment schemes, and also more efficiently reach a larger number of people.
The remit of Forums
It is true to say though that the remit of local access forums is already very wide. For example, it is your statutory function to advise a wide range of bodies: not just your appointing authority, but also district councils (who produce the local development framework) and national bodies such as Defra, English Heritage, the Forestry Commission, English Nature and the Countryside Agency. You can also advise these bodies on any issues which (to quote the legislation) you consider are relevant to 'improving public access to land for open air recreation and enjoyment of the area'. And by 'public access', it means, of course, both linear access provided by public rights of way, as well as area-wide access which can be secured in various ways. So you have a wide, and exciting, remit.
Although we have now commenced the right of access under the CROW Act, much remains to be done and forums continue to have a key role in giving advice - and even proactively initiating debate - on a wide range of issues. No doubt many of these issues will emerge locally, but I would like to highlight some of the issues which I foresee from a national perspective.
CROW Access land and Rights of Way Improvement Plans
Forums play a vital role in advising on the management and promotion of access land and public rights of way, as well as recreational access more generally. A key consideration here will be to encourage responsible and wider enjoyment of these resources by all sections of society including the disabled, the young and the disadvantaged.
Open air-recreation is more than access on foot
And we need to remember that open air-recreation is about more than access on foot. Forums should also advise on the needs of those who like to enjoy the open-air in others ways, such as equestrians, climbers and cyclists.
Horse industry
I am delighted to announce in this context that the Government and the British Horse Industry Confederation will very shortly be publishing a joint strategy for the development of the horse industry in England and Wales over the next 10 years. Central to this, and very much a priority, is the issue of access for riders, particularly to safe off-road routes. The Strategy emphasises the role of local access forums in pressing the case for equestrian access in the development of Rights of Way Improvement Plans, and in other aspects of rights of way provision. It also recognises the importance of building links between the various interest groups, such as riders, cyclists and walkers, rather than seeing them as competitors.
Access to water for canoeists
The Environment Agency is also doing some exciting work to improve access to water for canoeists. This will result in a 29 km canoe trail along the River Mersey, and canoe access agreements on a number of other rivers around the country (the Rivers Waveney, Teme and Wear).
Voluntary dedication of land by landowners
One of the ways we can improve access opportunities in the future is through voluntary dedication of land for access. Landowners can do this under section 16 of the CROW Act. I am grateful to those landowners who have already dedicated land, but dedication is still a largely untested mechanism. We need to understand better how it can help to fill gaps in existing access provision, and the Countryside Agency is therefore developing a research project. This research will look at landowner motivations and concerns and will focus on action that can be taken at the local level. The local knowledge which forums possess could really help with this.
Discovering Lost Ways project
Another initiative is the Discovering Lost Ways project - run by the Countryside Agency and funded by Defra. This project can make a significant contribution to the implementation of Rights of Way Improvement Plans by filling in gaps in the network and providing more higher rights routes - for equestrians and cyclists in particular. Your input will be critical in prioritising these applications, so that we concentrate on those routes that will most benefit people who aren't well served by the network as it stands.
Access to coastal areas
Improving access to coastal areas is going to be another issue which some forums will need to consider over the coming year. We have started work to look at possible options for improving coastal access in a way which will really benefit people and also bring landscape and nature conservation benefits. We plan to consult widely on the options in October next year.
Thinking strategically about the broader context
Finally, I think there is a role for forums to help decision-makers step back and think strategically about the broader context. This might mean considering cross-boundary issues with other forums. It also means considering how access and recreation goals can be pursued through related initiatives, such as those concerned with tourism, health, economic development, education, transport, community-safety and so on.
This all sounds like a lot of work and I know that your time is limited. You will therefore need to concentrate on the most important issues for your own area, and think carefully about your future work programme, to ensure it is both focused and manageable.
Forum membership should be enjoyable and worthwhile
Although it should go without saying, it is also worth reminding ourselves that being a forum member needs to be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. Forums will thrive only if members feel their time is being well spent, and that they are making a real difference. And that's why it is so important that Defra and the Countryside Agency do what we can to help achieve that.
So I would like to finish by thanking you all for your hard work and for the contribution you have made - and are continuing to make - and to invite your views on how the work of forums should develop in the future.