Mylander - Issue 89

Council Reports and half hours and we are rewarded with a mince pie, a cuppa and a raffle at the end of it. A great way to get rid of any Boxing Day lethargy! The Myland Access Group (MAG) are continuing with the annual survey of footpaths in the parish and a few queries and issues have cropped up. We wrote to the County Council records department to ensure that we had the correct information about the routes of each footpath. We recently got a reply – and it staggered us! This reply detailed roughly ten deletions of Public Rights of Way (PRoW); the PRoW being subsumed into the road or pavement or a combination of both. Many of these changes we had not even been informed about. Most of these deletions have been brought about by development, (and we have seen quite a lot of development), due to the Highway Authority ignoring Public Rights of Way or failing to follow their own Development and Public Rights of Way guidelines. Neither approach is useful in the longer term, as we try to ensure people get enough exercise and fresh air. We shall be responding to the County Council and also writing to the Planning Authority (CBC). The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), states: “Planning policies and decisions should protect and enhance public rights of way and access...” Bring on the Boxing Day Walk – we hope to see you there! Robert Johnstone Chair, Planning and Highways Committee 9