Meeting of the Yorkshire Dales Access Forum To be held on Tuesday 7 June 2016 1.15pm at Yoredale, Bainbridge Meeting to Commence at 1.15pm 1. Welcome and introductions 2. Apologies 3. Approval of minutes, and matters arising (not on the agenda) 4. Public Question time – three minutes per speaker (those wishing to speak should make themselves known to the Secretary at the start of the meeting or in advance of the meeting) 5. Future Forum Meetings - Agenda Items - Dates 6. Report back from Advisory Groups: • Access for All • Bridleways and Restricted Byways 7. Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership – Gary Smith, Director of Conservation and Community 8. Long distance routes 9. Boundary extension • LAF proposal • Staffing – draft proposals • HLF bid 10. Public rights of way annual report 11. Secretary’s Report (Items for note and consideration by Forum Members) 12. Update on members’ activities (brief reports of activities relating to the Forum) Annual General Meeting of the Yorkshire Dales Local Access Forum Held on Tuesday 26 January 2016 Yoredale, Bainbridge Present: Jon Beavan (JB), Andrew Colley (AC), Mark Corner (MC), Nick Cotton (NC), Ken Humphris (KH), David Gibson (DG), Alex Law (AL), Stuart Monk (SM), Jerry Pearlman (JP), Malcolm Petyt (MPet), John Richardson (JR), Stephen Ross (SR), Alistair Thompson (AT). YDNPA Officers present: Alan Hulme (AH), Rachel Briggs (RB) – LAF Secretary, Mark Allum (MA), Kathryn Beardmore (KB). The meeting started at 1.15pm. 1. Election of Chair KB began the meeting by explaining the process for the election of a Chair. JR proposed AT. No further nominations were received. AT was elected as Chair of the Yorkshire Dales Access Forum for a year. 2. Election of Vice Chair AT asked for nominations for Vice Chair. JB nominated JR. No further nominations were received. JR was elected as Vice Chair of the Yorkshire Dales Access Forum for a year. 3. Welcome AT welcomed Ken Humphris (KH) and Malcolm Petyt (MPet) to the meeting, as new members of the YDAF. He also welcomed back SM and JS who had been reappointed for a further three year term. MP and KH introduced themselves to members of the YDAF. 1 4. Apologies Apologies were received from Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong (JMA), Vickie Orton (VO), Heather Thomas-Smith (HTS), Mike Pryal (MP) and Jonathan Smith (JS). 5. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as a true record of the meeting. 6. Public Question Time There were no public questions. 7. Future Forum Meetings Dates of meetings The next meeting of the YDAF will be on 7 June 2016. Future Agenda Items Suggested future agenda items put forward by members include: • Local Nature Partnerships and what we can learn from other LAFs. • Public transport 8. Review of nominated LAF members on groups linked to the Forum AT went through each of the groups listed in the report and the YDAF reviewed the representatives for each group in turn. Access on Foot Advisory Group MP had asked, prior to the meeting, to withdraw from the Access on Foot Advisory Group. KH expressed an interest in the group and it was agreed his input would be useful. MC, KH, AT, HTS to represent the YDAF on the Access on Foot Advisory Group. Access for All Advisory Group AC stood down from the Access for All Advisory Group. JS had expressed an interest in the group, prior to the meeting. It was agreed that JS would be a useful addition to the Access for All Advisory Group. VO, JS and HTS to represent the YDAF on the Access for All Advisory Group. 2 Bridleways and Restricted Byways Advisory Group Members kept the current membership of SR, AL and NC representing the YDAF on the Bridleways and Restricted Byways Advisory Group. Air Sports and Water Sports Advisory Groups It was agreed that all members would be informed if an issue arises for each of these advisory groups and that attendance would be agreed if a meeting were to convene. Caves and Crags Access Advisory Group JB said that it would be useful for another member of the YDAF to attend this meeting, preferably a landowner. MC said he had no experience of caving or climbing but that he would attend in the meantime. JB and MC to represent the YDAF on the Cave and Crag Access Advisory Group. Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Advisory Group Members kept the membership of SR, JB, SM and DG to represent the YDAF on the Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Advisory Group. Dales Tourism Steering Group JB wished for it to be noted that both himself and JS attend the Destination Dales Group, tourism meetings organised by the YDNPA (not to represent the YDAF). 9. Report back from the Yorkshire Dales Advisory Groups Access on Foot Advisory Group DG presented the minutes of the Access on Foot Advisory Group. The following issues were discussed: Greenfield Forest AH said that the creation agreement for the new public rights of way at Greenfield Forest was currently with the landowner. Guldrey Fold MP informed members that the longstanding issue of the obstruction at Guldrey Fold was discussed and that members felt some signage was required at the beginning of the route to inform users that access wasn’t possible. 3 Signage MC said that there had been a useful discussion on signage within the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP) and that members had suggested the YDAF look at it in detail when the policy document Special Qualities, Special Experiences (SQSE) is reviewed. KB said that the policy document will be reviewed in 2017, but added that she thought the policy was clear: • From settlements and other development in the main Dales, waymarking will be used to the extent necessary to orientate visitors, and give them confidence, in their surroundings. • In rural lowland areas and tributary dales, waymarking will be basic but clear to avoid ‘over-management’ and will be unobtrusive within the surroundings. • In open upland areas, the use of waymarks will only be used out of legal necessity or where required as an aid to navigation, with the aim of ensuring that any signs of human activity are minimal given that typical users could be expected to carry a map and compass. KB asked YDAF members to send any specific examples, of where additional waymarking was needed, to Alan Hulme to pass on to the Access Rangers. JP said that under the Countryside Act 1968 (s27), it is stated that there is a duty for the highway authority to erect signposts to assist persons unfamiliar with the locality. KB was unsure if this was in the delegation agreement for the YDNPA, but said she would find out. KB to find out if the YDNPA has a duty to erect signposts under section 27 of the Countryside Act 1968. It was agreed that signage and waymarking would be discussed as a full agenda item at a future meeting, to coincide with the redraft of Special Qualities, Special Experiences. [NB. Following the meeting it was confirmed this section is in the delegation agreements but fundamentally it is a ‘power’ not a ‘duty’ upon the Highway Authority their only legal obligation is to sign post where a right of way leaves the metal road. Issues of waymarking will also be picked up via the Ramblers project Big Pathwatch]. Waymarking and signage to be discussed at a future meeting of the YDAF Cave and Crag Access Advisory Group JB presented the minutes of the Cave and Crag Access Advisory Group. Threshfield Quarry A letter had been written to the Threshfield Quarry Trust from the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) to ask for some climbing provision at the quarry site but no response had 4 been received to date. AC said he had attended a recent meeting of the Trust and there had been no mention of this. He suggested the BMC write again. RB to suggest the BMC writes again to the Threshfield Quarry Trust with regards to climbing access. High Lining Someone had attended the meeting to talk about a new recreational activity – high lining – which was taking place throughout the YDNPA, particularly at Malham Cove. AH said he had met on site with the high liners, since the meeting, and they were keen to work with officers to make sure disturbance to breeding birds was kept to a minimum. Drones It was agreed that the issue of use of drones in the YDNP should be brought back to the YDAF for discussion. AT suggested contacting the North York Moors NPA (NYMNPA) who may have some guidance on the use of model aircraft. RB said she would contact them to find out. RB to contact the NYMNPA regarding any guidance they may have on the use of model aircraft, and whether this was relevant to consideration of drones. Cave Access There is some media interest at present regarding access to caves on open access land. The Lancashire LAF have discussed the issue and have decided to support the view of the British Cavers Association (BCA) that the CROW Act needs to be clarified to include access to caves systems and not just the daylight area. AT suggested seeing if the subject is discussed at the National LAF conference in March. Scoska Cave An application has been submitted to Natural England to designate Scoska Cave as the first underground National Nature Reserve. JB thought it would be useful for the YDAF to write a letter of support to Natural England. Members agreed to this. AT to write a letter of support to Natural England for the designation of Scoska Cave as a National Nature Reserve.