Agenda item

• Recent English Access Forum (EAF) Meeting
• Defra consultation on ‘Coastal Change Policy’

The Forum noted the content of the minutes of the England Access Forum meeting held on 30^th June, 2009 and a report on the Defra Consultation on Coastal Change Policy and Natural England’s Coastal Paths Audit Report.  JW highlighted that there were concerns that the surfacing of shared use public rights of way were becoming a national problem due to the urbanisation of the countryside.  It was felt that providing a hard surface for one category of user, cyclists, was forcing other legitimate users off the route.  JW felt that as an urban Borough Slough was continually looking at routes to access rural areas out of the urbanised area. 

Agreed –That JW would write to Natural England to advise that the issue was one that affected Slough and was concerned that action should be taken to address this.  Action JW

In relation to the Defra consultation on the Coastal Change Policy, JW advised that she had considered the document with the assistance of Margery Hitchman and it was felt that the only part that was relevant to Slough was the section relating to Natural England’s work with others to develop ways of managing access to the coast, its amenity and landscape value while allowing for the inevitable changes that coastal erosion brings about. 

Agreed – That the Local Access Forum note the current position.