Contact: Petronella Nattrass ext:5326 e-mail: [email protected]

1. Introduction

1.1. The Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) requires highway authorities to review the adequacy of their rights of way network and to publish Rights of Way Improvement Plans.

1.2. Hampshire County Council has fulfilled this duty by publishing for consultation a series of 7 Countryside Access Plans (CAPs), which look at the full range of access to the countryside and not just rights of way. Each of these 7 plans relates to a particular area of Hampshire which has been determined according to landscape character.

1.3. The attached document is a pre-publication version of the County Overview CAP, a strategic summary which reports on the work to produce the 7 area CAPs, and identifies the county-wide priorities for improving access to Hampshire's Countryside. It is intended that the published edition will be available for the Executive Member's Decision Day on 22 May 2008.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That the Executive Member endorses the County Overview Countryside Access Plan which, together with the 7 area CAPs, will form the Rights of Way Improvement Plan for Hampshire.

3. Background

3.1. These plans have been produced following a process piloted in 2003 and approved by the Hampshire Countryside Access Forum. This process involved extensive research and consultation with local people who use the countryside access network and with those who own and manage the land and routes over which the public have access. The plans identify the main issues affecting people's enjoyment of Hampshire's countryside and present a statement of action for improvement and modernisation of the access network, based on what local people have said they want.

4. Impact Assessment

4.1. The aim of Countryside Access Plans is to improve public access to the countryside for all sectors of the community. Therefore no group or individual should be disadvantaged as a result the implementation of these plans.

5. Financial Implications

5.1. The Countryside Access Plans provide a framework for action which will enable Hampshire County Council to target resources towards delivering the improvements that local people need. They will help to identify opportunities for the County Council to work with its partners within the community, local authorities and other organisations, combining resources to meet shared objectives. The plans also supply a strong basis for seeking new sources of funding and developing innovative approaches to modernising the network.

6. Legal Implications

6.1. The Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) requires highway authorities to produce a ROWIP by November 2007. As an excellent authority, Hampshire County Council could have claimed exemption from this duty; the Council has chosen to proceed with the work, however, and has adopted a much more in-depth approach than required in the statutory guidance.

Links to Corporate Strategy

Yes No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all _

Maximising well-being _

Enhancing our quality of place _

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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