Issue - meetings

The Ramblers Association had sent a Freedom of Information request to all Local Authorities in England regarding information on Rights of Way budgets and the work they were doing.

Statistics provided back, with Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) comparison:

• 100,000 unresolved (reported) path problems. At BFC, there was only one at the time of the report.

• 30% of councils had cut their path budgets, following on from three years of severe cuts. At BFC, there had been a small cut to revenue budget between 12/13 and 13/14. There was money available for capital projects from Section 106 developer contributions.

• Local Authorities had been losing experienced staff from the rights of way teams. At BFC, there had been no cuts to rights of way staff.

• There was a backlog of over 4,000 paths waiting to be protected as Rights of Way. At BFC, in relation to Definitive Map Modification Order applications:- 0 awaiting determination; 3 made in 11/12 and 2 in 12/13; 5 determined in 11/12 and 2 in 12/13.

Paths in Crisis Report: http://www.ramblers.org.uk/~/media/Files/Campaign%20with%20us/PATHS_IN_CRISIS.pdf