Issue - meetings

• Funding
• Under-represented Groups
• Health

Members of the Working Groups gave an update on their work since the last meeting:

Finance

Neil Collie spoke on the Annual Funding Spreadsheet, which had been included in the agenda. He thanked the officers for providing the information for the spreadsheet.

For Cheshire East it was noted that the maintenance budget had been reduced and the Forum was concerned that this would have an effect on rights of way network.  Genni Butler reported that the result of the ‘Ease of Use’ Random 5% spring survey was 76%, which was down on previous years.  It was too soon to know if the budget reductions had contributed to this decrease.  Genni also reported on the external funding which the Council had obtained for rights of way projects.

For Cheshire West it was noted the budget and the staffing numbers were decreasing and a concern that resources were not available to ensure that work was carried out within prescribed timescales.  Hazel Barber reported on the external funding which the Council has obtained such as £250,000 from Sustrans.

Under Represented Groups

Bob Anderson and Kath Wurcbacher reported that the Group had been considered ways to encourage access to the countryside and had come up with two ideas.  

The first was to link the use of public transport and access to the countryside.  It was suggested that a leaflet with the timetable and costs of buses from Crewe to Nantwich be included with the leaflet for the Nantwich Loop in the hope that it would encourage families from Crewe to access this walk.  The Group asked if Genni Butler could help them with this proposal.

The second suggestion was to target schools to encourage them to bring pupils into the countryside by holding a day in Marbury Park, Northwich, to show teachers what the Park could offer.  Funding would be needed for this project and it was suggested that the Group should look for an enabling partner.  Hazel Barber agreed to provide details of organisations which may be able to help.

Health

John White reported that Group would be considering the National Institute for Health and Clinic Excellence (NICE) draft guidance on local measures to promote walking and cycling as a form of transport or recreation.  The guidance considered the health impacts of increasing walking and cycling and the wider environmental and economic impacts arising from promoting walking and cycling as a from of transport.  Consultation on the draft guidance had run from 24 April to 19 June 2012.  It was expected that the final guidance would be published in October 2012.

He also reported that the Ramblers had taken over the running of the Walking for Health programme from Natural England.