LAF 11/18 Suffolk Local Access Forum Title: Letter to Independent Panel on Forestry Meeting Date: 14 July 2011 Author/Contact: David Falk Venue: Aspall Room, Kerrison Conference Centre, Stoke Road, Thorndon, Nr Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7JG SLAF SLAF Suffolk Local Access Forum PO Box 872 Ipswich Suffolk IP1 9JW To the Right Reverend James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, Tel: 01473 264759 chairman of the independent panel Fax: 01473 216877 on forestry. Email:
[email protected] Web: By email. http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/Environment/Public RightsOfWay/SuffolkLocalAccessForum Your Ref: Our Ref: Date: 16 June 2011 Dear Chairman From the chairman of the Suffolk Local Access Forum. I am writing on behalf of the Suffolk Local Access Forum (SLAF). Local access forums are statutorily prescribed bodies, introduced by s94 and s95 of the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000. Their main function is to advise their appointing authority as to the improvement of public access to land in that area for the purposes of open-air recreation and the enjoyment of the area. Local access forums comprise appointed members who represent both users of local rights of way or access land and owners and occupiers of access land or land encompassing local rights of way. SLAF understand that the Panel has recently opened its doors for views on forests and woods and announced forest visits. The forum further understands that following your second meeting, you have announced initial visits to the Forest of Dean, Northumberland and Kent. The Suffolk Local Access Forum wishes to convey its views to the panel on the future of the public forest estate (PFE) in Suffolk, in particular on the future of public access for all those groups currently enjoying access in the county’s woodland and forest, whether by right, permission or de facto.