Agenda item

To receive a report from the Countryside Access Team Manager of the Environment, Property and Growth Directorate on the development of the next 10-year Surrey Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) and to provide feedback on the draft before it is presented to Cabinet for adoption in March 2025.

WITNESSES

• Marisa Heath, Cabinet Member for Environment
• Simon Crowther, Executive Director for Environment, Property & Growth
• Carolyn McKenzie, Director for Environment
• Claire Saunders, Access Team Manager
• Katie McDonald, Natural Capital Group Manager

KEY LINES OF DISCUSSION

1. The Chairman asked about the financial implications associated with making the necessary improvements to the condition of public rights of way, as stated in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP). In reply, the Natural Capital Group Manager said that funding for maintaining public rights of way came from three main sources: a revenue budget from the Council, a capital programme, and funding from new developments. The capital programme was significantly increased approximatly four years ago and was expected to remain at the current level in the Council's budget. Funding from new developments allowed for meeting residents' expectations and enhancing connectivity between villages and communities across Surrey. Despite limited resources, a prioritisation process was used for all enquiries and requests related to rights of way, considering factors such as safety, path usage, and the benefits to different users.
2. A Member asked about plans for staff resources to utilise Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) opportunities and the barriers to engaging more volunteer groups in maintaining structures. In reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment mentioned that they had recently agreed to allocate half a million into Greener Futures and emphasised the importance of considering rights of way within that funding. She highlighted the need for better connections with planning authorities to avoid missed opportunities and ensure that new systems reflected and captured these opportunities, while also stressing the importance of understanding key issues across the county and prioritising members' input on valuable rights of way for residents.
3. A Member asked about the 81 recorded gaps relating to cross-border issues and emphasised the importance of ensuring councillors in those divisions were aware of these gaps. The Natural Capital Group Manager highlighted the importance of prioritising which groups to work with first, noting the enthusiasm of the Team and the significant contribution of volunteers, who made up 50% of the workforce. She mentioned the focus on engaging users who currently did not use the countryside estate, such as young people, young families, people with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged areas or ethnic minorities. She also discussed opportunities to collaborate with other Council areas and mentioned specific initiatives for people with disabilities, such as all-access trails on the countryside estates.
4. A Member asked about the measurement of usage for footpaths and rights of way, particularly in high-traffic areas like Woking town centre. The Natural Capital Group Manager explained the challenges of monitoring footpath usage, noting that while people counters could be used, they often captured wildlife as well. She mentioned that Hampshire used phone data for this purpose, and the Service is exploring collaboration with them due to reduced costs. The Service already monitors the canal in Woking but was considering the cost and benefit of continuous measurement.
5. A Member asked about the differences in methods and rules between his division and Hampshire regarding rights of way. The Access Team Manager said that Hampshire County Council had not completed the process of reclassifying roads used as public paths. She mentioned that discrepancies arose at county boundaries where different local authorities had varying evidence to classify rights of way. This issue required significant officer input and research to resolve, which could be time-consuming.
6. A Member asked what more could be done to support the Rights of Way Team and ensure the effective delivery of the new plan, given the significant response from parish councils, the public, and people outside the county. The Cabinet Member for Environment emphasised the importance of conserving Surrey's heritage. She highlighted the value of local knowledge and coordination in identifying issues and improving rights of way. She also stressed the importance of collaboration with various groups and aligning investment priorities to integrate the plan into local plans effectively.
7. A Member asked about the risks faced by implementing the new plan. The Natural Capital Group Manager emphasised the importance of preserving current budgets for rights of way and managing expectations, as the document might raise expectations beyond what could be delivered. She highlighted the need for effective communication and prioritisation. The Cabinet Member for Environment said that the document provided a clear pathway for improvements, though actual implementation might take time and depend on additional resources. She stressed the importance of guiding the plan through the process and linking it to broader county work.
8. A Member asked if it was permissible to use funds like the Small Fund Surrey for addressing issues such as deteriorating bridleways and footpaths, and whether Councillors could collaborate to pool resources for significant costs to push forward initiatives. The Cabinet Member for Environment said that using funds like the Small Fund Surrey for such projects should be possible, as similar funds were used for highways projects. She suggested including it in the Greener Futures priority list to show how the money could be spent effectively, emphasising the value of sharing costs.
9. A Member asked about the progress on delivering the actions and how it would be monitored and reported to the Council and the public. The Cabinet Member for Environment emphasised the need for an annual tracking record of rights of way improvements to better communicate spending and progress. She also highlighted the importance of reviewing Section 106 funding (financial contributions made by developers to the local authority to help fund infrastructure and services) and improving staff engagement for meaningful outcomes. The Natural Capital Group Manager said that an annual access report was produced and circulated to all Members, detailing the work done each year. This report would be adapted to reflect the objectives and actions in the ROWIP, and additional KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) were being considered for corporate reporting.
10. A Member asked about the continued collaboration with parish councils, particularly in maintaining footpaths and rights of way that were technically the Council's responsibility but were currently impassable. He also inquired about addressing the issue of routes being used by trail bikes and four-by-fours, and how the Council planned to work with parish councils in areas like Farley Green. The Cabinet Member for Environment said it was important to empower parish councils and collaborate with them to maintain footpaths and rights of way. She highlighted the need to balance the Council's responsibilities with allowing parish councils, who had local knowledge, to take on more tasks. She also mentioned the need to revisit discussions with SALC (Surrey Association of Local Parish Councils) to establish a clear direction for engagement. The Director for Environment said that there were regular meetings with SALC to discuss joint efforts across environmental agendas, including public rights of way.
11. A Member asked if successful projects, such as the clearing of a bridleway in his division, could be publicised through the media or the Parish Council. In reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment said that a potential model similar to Highways, where they reported on the number of verges and pavements cleared, could be adopted. She proposed creating an infographic or similar report every three months to publicise the number of rights of way cleared, making it easier for everyone to share the information.
12. A Member asked about ROWIP’s links to LTP4, Vision Zero, and Safe Routes to Schools, and how these initiatives were practically implemented. The Cabinet Member for Environment stated that ensuring collaboration across different teams and portfolios was essential for linking LTP4, Vision Zero, and Safe Routes to Schools. This work had highlighted the need for better connectivity between planning, highways, environment, and flooding, which would be a focus in future collaborative meetings. The Executive Director for Environment, Property & Growth stated that prioritising projects, such as improving safe routes to school, would be part of the criteria for allocating funding. He emphasised the importance of working closely with colleagues in Highways to operationalise these priorities.
13. A Member asked about the challenges of dealing with numerous organisations. In reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment acknowledged resource challenges and emphasised the need to channel engagement into organisations like SALC and SCAF. She highlighted the difficulty of working with district and parish councils to ensure effective communication from representative bodies across the county. The Natural Capital Group Manager added that the Team took their duty to ensure everyone's views were heard very seriously. She mentioned ways to push ahead if necessary, such as bringing conflicts to local committees or through their own governance process. She offered to assist with any unresolved issues and expressed confidence in the Team's ability to address issues that had reached an impasse.
14. A Member raised a concern about a footpath access issue at the Highlands Flats in Farnham, questioning whether proper transport assessments, including footpath considerations, had been made during planning applications. The Access Team Manager said that while they were consulted and had put forward their requests, these were not always reflected by the planning authority. The Manager said that the area officers handled these issues, but often by the time they reached this point, the funding had run out.

ACTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

• Natural Capital Group Manager - Provide approximate budget information, or the details available from the past three budgets, to be circulated to the Committee.
• Natural Capital Group Manager - Provide a summary with key points and objectives of the ROWIP to the Committee.