A large group of people representing various interests in the South Downs saw the Select Committee on Tuesday agree to request a delay in the decision by the Cabinet Member not to delegate the management of Rights of Way to the new South Downs National Park from 1April 2011. 

After considering submissions from the South Downs Society, the Countryside Access Forum for West Sussex and me which highlighted the complete lack of proper public consultation on the proposal, the Committee felt, after also hearing from the Cabinet Member, that there should have been greater consultation with interested parties prior to the proposed decision. On a majority view (three Liberal Democrats and two Conservatives to three Conservatives) the Committee resolved:

(1)        To request the Cabinet Member

(a)        to defer her final decision to allow for proper consultation with the Countryside Access Forum, the South Downs Society, representatives of the local authorities (boroughs/districts and parishes) in the National Park Area within West Sussex, and the two other highways authorities East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Councils; and

(b)        to report back on the outcome of the consultations in due course.

(2)            Irrespective of the decision the Cabinet Member takes on the Committee’s request above, the Committee also asks the Cabinet Member to ensure that there is full consultation with all interested parties during the development of the Fundamental Service Review of the Rights of Way service and that this Committee receives timely updates on that process.

 The Cabinet Member has been reminded that under Select Committee Protocol, if she decides not to accept the Select Committee’s recommendations, she will need to provide a reasoned written justification for her decision, which has to be provided before, and reported to, the next meeting of Strategic Environmental Services Select Committee. The next meeting of the Committee is on 3 February with the agenda papers for that meeting being dispatched by 26 January, so a decision should soon be known.  

Hopefully the Cabinet Member will agree to the Committee’s request and also consults with the Shadow South Downs National Park, as apart from the potential loss of a saving of up to £275,000pa from her present decision, the report to the Committee made it clear that a new all-county Rights of Way Service would involve a reduction in the current inspection/maintenance service outside of the South Downs area from every nine months to every twelve months. 

West Sussex Liberal Democrats have welcomed the County Council decision to review the Cabinet Member decision not to delegate maintenance of rights of way and countryside management to the new South Downs National Park. 

In the request for the decision to be reviewed by the Strategic Environmental Services Select Committee, the Lib Dems highlighted the original lack of consultation and scrutiny by the Committee and concerned parish councils, and that the objections of both the Countryside Access Forum for West Sussex and the South Downs Society were ignored. 

In addition, other National Park Authorities undertaking these functions have not recharged the costs to the County Councils concerned. So the claim that the County would have to pay the South Downs National Park Authority for the services is likely to be incorrect. It seems very foolish for the County Council to assume it would have to pay, without even discussing the matter with the Shadow South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). This decision could mean losing the chance to save the current cost of £250,000 a year.  

Finally, the current arrangements, delegating maintenance to the Sussex Downs Conservation Board and then the South Downs Joint Committee, have worked well since 1992. Whilst there is an argument that managing the whole Rights of Way network makes it simpler for interested organisations and the public throughout West Sussex to know who to contact with a problem, there does not seem to have been such a problem in the last 18 years. It could also cause confusion since visitors to the National Park would expect all functions relating to access, walking and riding in the Park to be operated by the Park Authority.   

Derek Deedman, Lib Dem County Councillor for the Bramber Castle Division, that falls partly in the new National Park, said,  “It is scandalous that, having wasted £100,000s of Council Taxpayers’ money opposing the National Park, leading Conservatives now seem happy to reject the chance of saving up to £250,000 a year from continuing the current arrangements by delegating these functions to the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). The Council does not seem to have even discussed the matter with the shadow SDNPA.  

“In addition, the fact that this significant decision was made without adequate consultation with users and parish councils can only be deplored. Hopefully, the review by the Select Committee will allow bodies such as the South Downs Society and Rights of Way users to make their case. 

“I hope the Committee will request that, at the very least, the Cabinet Member defers her decision until she has taken into account the views of other interested bodies, has been able to discuss the matter fully with the Shadow SDNPA and the financing of the new Authority is made clear by the Government.”     

West Sussex Lib Dem Councillors are inviting Worthing residents to  ‘hop on the bus’ to enjoy the country-side in and around Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding following successful negotiations earlier this year with local bus company Compass and the local parish and district Councils.

 The 106 route from Henfield to Worthing is a two hourly bus service available on

 Monday to Saturday and runs between Worthing and Henfield via Steyning,

 Upper Beeding and North Lancing.

 County Councillor for Bramber Castle, Derek Deedman said:

 “The first year of operation is being subsidised from Section 106 developer contributions relating to the area which we hope will become fully self-funding by the end of the financial year. Hopefully residents from Worthing will take advantage of this excellent service to come and see the delightful country-side and the many attractions in and around the Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding area.”

 “It is already proving to be a useful link in to Worthing, particularly for those who are in employment in the town.”

 Broadwater County Councillor and Member of the Local Quality Bus Partnership

 Alan Rice added:

 “As a non -car user I find this not only an excellent service but a vital one for getting around parts of the County, this improved service started six months ago  and the emphasis now must be on improving the use of the bus. The route goes from Brooklands in East Worthing to the Pier via Worthing Hospital. We now must increase passenger numbers for the service to continue in the longer-term.”

 “Compass Travel is pleased with the initial response from the public and would welcome any feedback passengers may have to further improve the service. Tell us what you think!”

The team responsible for the establishment of the new Park has just sent me a copy of its first newsletter. It is intended to be the first of many regular newsletters to keep people up to date with progress on the new national Park and the establishment of the National Park Authority.

Articles in the first newsletter include comments on the purpose of the National Park, anticipated timeline to it becoming fully operational in April 2011, some of its proposed responsibilities in keeping the south downs as a special place, who will be on the National Park Authority and some facts and figures about the Park.  

If you want to be sent a copy of the newsletter and to be added to the distribution list, or have any topics you would like to see covered in future newsletters, contact the Establishment Team, by email: jane.schiller@defra.qsi.gov.uk or ‘phone: 01730 817285.

Derek Deedman, Arundel & South Downs Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate opposes Tory manifesto plans to hold a free vote to re-introduce Hunting.

Derek said, “I was appalled to read in the County Times last week that our current local MP has revealed this commitment by the Conservatives to overturn the hunting ban should they win the next General Election.

“Fox hunting was purely a cruel sport, it was not necessary to provide food for our tables, and we should not, as civilised society, re-introduce such a barbaric activity into our countryside.

“Previous opinion polls have shown that the majority of people were opposed to fox hunting. I hope that in this period before the next General Election people in Arundel & South Downs will tell the Conservatives that they cannot support a candidate who, if re-elected,  is pledged to fight for its re-introduction.”  

At the County Council meeting last Friday, in addition to asking the Cabinet Member for the Environment & Economy a question about her views on the membership of the National Park Authority (NPA) for the new South Downs National Park, I took part in the debates on the Corporate Plan Annual Performance Review Report 2008/09 and the proposed County Strategy for West Sussex 2009/10.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment & Economy agreed that the local authority membership of the NPA should have some regard to the areas and population of each authority within the Park and that negotiations were taking place on this. She did not agree with me that the NPA ought to be directly elected if the NPA is to be democratic and its members properly accountable to the residents. She said that it would be democratic as the local authority representatives would have been elected. (Rather contradicts previous Conservative claims that the NPA would be undemocratic!)  She was personally sympathetic to one of the criteria for the local authority representatives on the NPA being that they live in the Park area, but could not commit the County Council to that view. (No surprise, as apart from her it unlikely that any of the leading Conservatives will live in the Park area.)   

During the debate on the Corporate Plan performance I regretted that in working to make traffic flow better round West Sussex there were no achievements  to reduce congestion, nor to provide new cycleways/footpaths, and that although there had been an increase in bus usage bus users satisfaction, levels had fallen. I also expressed disappointment that the County Council had apparently not contacted the District Councils to obtain the detailed figures on the increase in bus travelling from the free concessionary travel scheme for the over 60’s. Finally on the County performance on enabling children to travel to school in a sustainable way I suggested that statistics on the number of safe routes to school schemes introduced during the year would have been useful.

I welcomed the change to the draft County Strategy, which I had suggested when the Strategy had been considered at the Policy & Resources, to include in the Leader’s Foreword a focus on developing sustainable transport over the next four years. I also welcomed the positive comments (at last!) on the benefits from the South Downs National Park in helping to keep West Sussex working with particular regard to the vibrancy of market towns and rural communities. I also felt that although there was an acknowledgement of the need to improve public transport for rural areas, this was not linked to the concerns about lack of access to higher education for young people and adults from rural areas. Sadly in both these cases the aims in the Strategy made no mention of working with the National Park to help improve the vibrancy of our market towns and villages by way of, for example improved tourism, nor to improve public transport links to higher education facilities or work. Finally, under the section on keeping (or should it have been ‘making’?) West Sussex sustainable I hoped that the new corporate plan based on this Strategy would include specific targets for additional public transport in/from/to rural areas and more cycleways /footways between rural villages and their market town ‘hubs’.           

Although the Conservative County Council lost the argument on the need for the new South Downs National Park (whilst spending lots of our money in doing so), they are still taking every opportunity to snipe at the new Park..

Most recently County Local Committees have been considering the proposed membership of the South Downs National Park Authority (NPA), and at the Chanctonbury County Local Committee (CLC) the Conservative Chairman could not resist making many of the same points against the whole need for the Park which had been opposed by the overwhelming majority of the public.

At least on the membership of the NPA there seems to be local agreement in that the Deputy Leader of the Council supported my view that the local authority (LA) representation should be related to the area and population of the Park within each local authority area. The Government’s present draft proposals give one seat each to every LA, even though four have less than 500 people (out of a total of 107,929 in the new Park), whilst two have over 40,000.

In my view, as I said at the CLC meeting, the majority of the membership of the NPA should be directly elected in any event if it is to be truly accountable to the population of the new Park. 

 I understand that the consultation on the Membership of the National Park Authority (NPA) has not yet started but it should start in the next few weeks.

The County Council was originally told it would start in May but Defra did not have an Officer in post to lead on the transition to the NPA.  It will then last for 12 weeks.  Defra are holding the consultation and have agreed to consult with all stakeholders. This is expected to include all the Parish Councils or at least the Association of PCs as the Parish Councils are to be represented on the NPA.

Defra have also agreed to attend local meetings and answer questions on the process of setting up the NP and the NPA.  Their timetable for these is not yet known but will be published as soon as it is.

It is really great news that after some sixty years a National Park has at last been achieved for the South Downs!

It is a pity that the urban areas of Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding have been excluded whilst Lewes and Ditchling have been included, as this will probably result in development pressure in the future. However, being right on the doorstep of the National Park should be good news for our local High Streets and leisure businesses.

It is sad that the opponents of the new Park are still objecting when the vast majority of  residents support the decision. Hopefully West Sussex County Council Tories will not waste yet more of our council tax on legal action to try to have the decision overturned.

I find it difficult to understand Tory MPs comments that the decision has been rushed - is sixty years not long enough…… And to claim the new National Park Authority will not be democratically accountable really takes the biscuit, as it will be as democratic as the current South Downs Joint Committee and the Sussex Police Authority. In my submission on the National Park proposals I called for the Authority to be directly elected but although this has been ignored at least two thirds of the members will be accountable via our local councils.

After years of campaigning by local Lib Dems for improvements to the surface of this well-used route to Shoreham some work has been carried out in the last year. This includes part of the route alongside the A283 in  Bramber and at St Botolphs Bridge.

Recent work by EDF contractors has destroyed some of this good work, but after this was highlighted by Beeding Parish Councillor Simon Birnstingl (pictured), Derek Deedman raised this with the County Council, and the contractors have agreed to restore the surface at their cost.

And Derek will be continuing to campaign for the County Council to implement a proper works programme to fully restore this cycle and walking link with Shoreham. (Including a proper crossing of theA283 in Bramber!)

Following reports from users of the Downs Link near Steyning of the appalling state of the surface I have raised the situation with the County Council officers responsible for the maintenance of the route. They have informed me that: -    

1.       The rutting on the new section of the South Downs Way (SDW) near the A283 lay-by; the Public Rights of Way team leader is meeting the contractor who carried out the work on site next week.
   

2.       Top of the flood defence from SDW bridge towards Annington Road - this section is not surfaced at all and has subsequently deteriorated resulting in deep puddles. Several organisations have a responsibility for it as well as the County Council through it’s management of the Downs Link. It is part of the SDW and therefore a South Downs Joint Committee (SDJC) responsibility. It is also on a flood defence and therefore the Environment Agency (EA) has an interest. Whilst this may explain why nothing has been done it is not acceptable and the County Council will speak to the others involved to improve it and try to access some funding to surface it.
   

3. Top of the flood defence from SDW bridge towards Annington Road - this section is not surfaced at all and has subsequently deteriorated resulting in deep puddles. Several organisations have a responsibility for it as well as the County Council through it’s management of the Downs Link. It is part of the SDW and therefore a South Downs Joint Committee (SDJC) responsibility. It is also on a flood defence and therefore the Environment Agency (EA) has an interest. Whilst this may explain why nothing has been done it is not acceptable and the |County Council will speak to the others involved to improve it and try to access some funding to surface it.
4. Annington Road junction towards A283 – it is agreed that this is an absolute mess! It appears that the EA have caused most of the damage by their contractors using some heavy machinery earlier last week to bring on a new pump. This is being followed up with the EA and their contractor, for them to make good the surface.

One further piece of information is that the section to the north of the A283 crossing is flooded and impassable without wellingtons. This has been caused by the ditch in the adjacent field overflowing.

The EA have now acknowledged that they caused the damage to the section of the route north of Annington Road. The reason being that their pump by the river had broken down, and they have removed it for repair, requiring heavy machinery to move it. They are due to return it this week and have said they will regrade the path after that. They have agreed to meet with County Officers to look into funding resurfacing that section to a specification suitable to both parties.

As a side note the failure of the pump has also caused the flooding of the wooded section on the other side of the A283 due to water backing up in the adjacent ditch.

This consultation exercise was closed on 14 August.

It was confirmed at the Countryside Access Forum for West Sussex that the outcome will be reviewed in due course by the Forum’s Off -Road Working Group.

It is being reported at the Countryside Access Forum for West Sussex meering tomorrow that the Inspector’s report on the re-opened South Downs Inquiry, which formally closed on Friday 4 July 2008, is expected to be submitted to Defra at the end of November 2008. It is, however, unlikely that the report will be available to the public until a decision is reached.

It is expected that an announcement on the decision will be made in Spring/Summer 2009.

Hopefully the decision will be to proceed with the establishment of a national park for the South Downs which will be formally approved by Parliament before the next General Election, which must take place by June 2010.

The path closure is necessary to protect public safety whilst improvement works are being undertaken on the bridleway.

Unfortunately this link route using the South Downs Way east of the River Adur, from St Botolph’s bridge using bridleway 3209 to the A283 will continue to be unavailable for another 21 days from the 28TH OCTOBER 2008. The footpath and bridleway along either side of the River Adur and St Botolphs bridge will remain open for pedestrians and equestrians.

Should you have any queries regarding the closure please contact Becky Lawton, Rights of way Officer  on 01273 777928 or if you have a query about the effect of the notice on persons using the highway, to Jon Perks on 01243 777621.

Steyning Parish Council Highways & Lighting Committee last night agreed that the disadvantages from closing the Lane to vehicular traffic near the Chalk Pit far outweighed the possible safety improvements for pedestrians using the Lane. They could not, therefore, support any request to the County Council to close the Lane.

I had asked the Committee (which had previously expressed concern about the safety of walkers using the Lane) to consider supporting the possible closure of the Lane on behalf of local residents who felt unsafe walking on this narrow road. However other residents had pointed out to me the increased risks for even more people from the increased traffic which would result on other local roads, and at the dangerous Bostal Road/Bramber Road junction where traffic would have to gain access to the alternative Bostal Road to go over the Downs

I have been contacted about what action can be taken to reduce the danger to pedestrians using the narrow part of the Lane from it’s junction with Laines Road to the chalk pit.

Previously the Steyning Parish Council suggestion to provide a pavement was rejected by County Highways. This time it has been suggested that the above mentioned closure of the Lane would make the road much safer for pedestrians whilst not stopping the small amount of traffic going to/from the chalk pit. Through traffic going over the Downs would use the more suitable Bostal Road.

I have also been contacted by another local resident, who drives and walks this section of road regularly, who can see why the closure suggestion has been made, but believes that it is not a practical way forward. 

He believes the perceived safety of walkers would be the only benefit from the proposal.

He considers that with the route currently being used by many residents of Newham Lane, Laines Road, Hills Road and the surrounding estate when entering or leaving Steyning, forcing these vehicles to use the Bostal Road route would cause more problems. Additional traffic would go through the village centre and/or use Ingram Road as a ‘rat run’. In addition there would be extra traffic at the Bostal Road junction which is already probably the most hazardous location for traffic and pedestrians in the village. The proposal would also lead to longer journey times and increased fuel consumption for a significant number of Steyning residents and visitors.

He has never felt unsafe walking the section of Newham Lane in question, and considers the narrowness of the road works to the walker’s advantage by forcing traffic to slow significantly. If it is felt that steps need to be taken to make the Lane safer for walkers, he suggests warning signs, ‘Walkers in Road’ or similar, perhaps combined with extending the 30 mph limit up to the chalk pit.

I have asked the Parish Council for views on the possible closure of this Lane at the entrance to the chalk pit, taking into account these alternative views, and this will be considered at the Highways & Lighting Committee meeting on 30 September.

A number of people have complained about the burger van in the High Trees Car Park at the Upper Beeding roundabout on the A283.

County Officers have advised that there are no highway grounds on which the burger van can be removed, but there are South Downs Joint Committee and County land ownership issues. The present management arrangements in respect of the car park need to be confirmed before recovery of the land presently occupied by the burger van could be considered.

In any event there is a view that the burger van is not really causing a problem. Also it is claimed that users of the South Downs Way seem to be enjoying the convenience of the van at the end of a long day walking, cycling and riding.

One of the problems is, however, that the burger van attracts heavy vehicles to the site which sometimes blocks the car park for other users, and can cause a dangerous traffic situation at the entrance from the roundabout. Since the car park is also used by equestrians to unload/load horse boxes, the provision of a height barrier to prevent use by heavy vehicles would be difficult, but this is being investigated. Clearly if this can be resolved then the presence of the burger van might be acceptable in providing a valued facility for users of the South Downs Way.

Any comments from local people would be welcome.

Following the improvements to the Downs Link/South Downs Way earlier this year, a second phase of works is planned for later this year to improve the South Downs Way eastwards from the bridge to the A283.

This will involve raising in part the height of the bridleway, lengthening the ramp down from the riverbank to reduce the path gradient, and laying an improved stoned surface.

During negotiations with the landowner agreement has been made to widen the path to facilitate these works and for the convenience of future path users. The present path gradient is no steeper than previously existed but, once works are completed, will be significantly shallower.

This is more good news for users of the Downs Link/South Downs Way through the Bramber Castle Division. Hopefully there will be more to come soon!

Bramber Parish Council meets tomorrow evening, 7.30pm at Bramber & Beeding Village Hall.

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Carol Boniface will update the Council on police matters in the Parish.

Faustina Bayo, Development Officer, Action in Rural Sussex, will outline proposals for a Bramber Parish Plan - local people interested in helping prepare a parish plan will be most welcome for the discussion on this  matter.

The Annual Ashurst Parish Meeting takes place at Ashurst Village Hall on Thursday, 3 April, starting at 8pm.

Coffee and biscuits will be available and there will be an opportunity for residents to meet Parish Councillors to discuss any local issues.

Mrs Marlene Carman will be giving a talk on the Steyning & District Community Partnership and the Steyning and Ashurst Conservation Volunteers.

County and District Councillors will also be present at both meetings.

The Draft Plan was  discussed at the Countryside Access Forum for West Sussex meeting in Billingshurst yesterday.

Andy Gattiker, the South Downs Way National Trail Officer outlined the strategic aims included in the Draft Plan (which is open to the public for consultation until 1 February). Further details on www.nationaltrail.co.uk/southdowns/

In response to a question from Derek Deedman it was confirmed that improving the safety of the Way where it crosses major roads such as the A283 in Upper Beeding was  included under the section of the Draft Plan relating to ‘Managing the Trail and its corridor’.

At the last meeting of the County Council Derek Deedman asked the Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy about the lack of sufficient investment in properly restoring the Downs Link between Steyning and Shoreham.

She promised a written reply which is as follows: -

“As you are aware the Countryside Managers have been addressing the state of the surface of the Downs Link over the last few years but have only a limited budget. Currently the annual expenditure on surface improvements on the section north of Steyning to the County Border is £15-25K and south of Steyning is £12K (this year). This allows us to make only modest inroads into upgrading the surface.

“We do however take advantage of any opportunity available to get additional funds to allow more to be done. A sum of £20k has become available this year and the officer concerned will be contacting you to discuss the priorities and expenditure planned on this stretch. In addition we are also discussing further work with Sustrans, our Cycling Officer and the South Downs Joint Committee, to see if we can pool funding to address the additional stretches between Shoreham and Bramber.”

At the last meeting of Bramber Parish Council it was suggested that the Council might consider using some of the funds available from planning developments to help fund such restoration work. Derek Deedman has passed this information to the Countryside Officers who will be contacting the Parish Council to discuss the matter.

“Hopefully further progress will be made soon, and I will continue to press for the Link to be fully restored to a decent surface for all users for at least that part of the route between Shoreham and Steyning” said Derek.