Agenda and minutes

The Chairwelcomed allparties tothe meeting,and everyone introducedthemselves.

The Chair asked members to swap agenda items 6 and 7 around due to the presence of the public attending for agenda item 7, this was agreed.

Apologies forabsence werereceived fromCouncillors Jude English, Lily Fitzgibbon, Paul Goggin.

To note any declarations of interest from the Councillors.  They are asked to indicate the relevant agenda item, the nature of the interest and in particular whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Any declarations of interest made at the meeting which is not on the register of interests should be notified to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion.

There wereno Declarationsof Interest.

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

RESOLVED – thatthe minutesof themeeting heldon 31 January 2023be confirmedas acorrect record.  

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item

Any member of the public or Councillor may participate in Public Forum.  The detailed arrangements for so doing are set out in the Public Information Sheet at the back of this agenda.  Public Forum items should be emailed to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk and please note that the following deadlines will apply in relation to this meeting:-

Questions - Written questions must be received 3 clear working days prior to the meeting.  For this meeting, this means that your question(s) must be received in this office at the latest by 5 pm on 14 March 2023.

Petitions and Statements - Petitions and statements must be received on the working day prior to the meeting.  For this meeting this means that your submission must be received in this office at the latest by 12.00 noon on 17 March 2023.

A statement had been received from Councillor Steve Smith regarding an unresolved claimed footpath application at Ridgehill, Henleaze. Members noted the statement and discussed the issues about the claimed footpath, Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMO’s), backlog.

The Network Operations Manager informed members that claimed footpath applications were dealt with in order of receipt but were reprioritised where DMMO’s were affected by planning applications or where the claimed route was currently obstructed.

Limited resource in the Public Rights of Way team only allowed for a small number of DMMOs to be investigated each year with any complications further adding to delays. Further to this any applicant had the option to request that the Planning Inspectorate review their application if it was felt that the length of time to resolve the claim was unreasonable.

Members were reminded that the Public Rights of Way and Greens committee had recently reprioritised DMMOs to focus on obstructed paths and therefore routes that were unobstructed, such as Ridgehill, Henleaze, were lower down on the list of priorities. 

The 2015 Deregulation Act aimed to introduce a streamlined process that would assist with DMMOs and make them quicker to resolve, however these elements had yet to be enacted by the government and there was no clear date as to when they would be implemented.

The Committee received a report setting out and updating the present position regarding current TVG applications duly made under the Commons Act 2006.

The CRA had received 2 applications which were the subject of consideration and report by an Inspector appointed by the CRA.

Stoke Lodge Playing Fields Shirehampton Road

The CRA had received the report in the week commencing the 13March 2023

1. The Inspector’s report had been sent to the parties for comment.

2. Parties would have 14 days to comment. The Inspector may respond separately but the report would

not be amended.

3. The comments and Inspector’s response would form a separate report to PROWG Committee which would be published at the same time as the Inspectors report.

4. The CRA would agree a date for the PROWG Committee meeting in consultation with the Chair and the Inspector’s report would be published with the agenda in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders and Committee Procedure Rules (CPR), this would be 5 clear working days prior to the meeting.

6. An informal visit to the site was now considered to be the best way for members to see the site and members could choose when they wanted to visit, prior to the meeting.

5. The CRA would provide parties with a further direction in line with the above and a timescale.

Land at Ridgehill Henleaze

1. The CRA had decided that the application was duly made and had passed the preliminary stage to enable it to be proceeded with.

2. The application would be advertised and interested parties would have the opportunity to make

objections and the Applicants an opportunity to respond.

3. The Legal Officer would send a map to members showing the area of the T&VG application.

RESOLVED– thatthe present position regarding Town or Village Green (TVG) Applications be noted.

The Network Operations Manager introduced the report and highlighted key points concerning some of the itemslisted in AppendixA - Applications for Definitive Map Modification Orders, Appendix B – Miscellaneous rights of way orders, Appendix C – Enforcement actions and Appendix D – PROW improvement programme.

Members welcomed the update and were encouraged to raise any issues about outstanding footpath claims or unauthorised obstructions so that any reprioritisation could be accommodated.

RESOLVED– thatthe reportbe noted.