Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair of the Forum for 2017/18.

RESOLVED – That Mr Edgar Ernstbrunner be appointed Chair of the Stockport Local Access Forum for 2017/2018.

To appoint a Vice Chair of the Forum for 2017/18.

RESOLVED – That Debbi Hall be appointed Vice-Chair of the Stockport Local Access Forum for 2017/2018.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 November 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 23 November 2015 were approved as a correct record.

The Director of Public Health will report at the meeting.

Officer contact Stephen Watkins Telephone: 474 2436 email: stephen.watkins@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health provided a verbal report at the meeting.

The report related to the role of the Local Access Forum in Stockport and what the remit of the Forum should entail.

The following comments were made/issues raised.

·         The Forum requested that a representative from Legal Services either attend the meeting in person or provide a report detailing the progress that has been made on legal matters which relate to the Forum.

·         It was noted that the Local Access Forum was more strategic than the Rights of Way Forum and if this can be the focus then progress is more likely to be made.

·         Members of the Forum questioned how rights of way in the town centre could be enhanced.

·         The Forum discussed some topics that they would like to address.  These included:

o   Shared use of pavements between pedestrians and cyclists

o   A coherent network of cycle routes into and around Stockport

o   A discussion with officers at what is being proposed

o   Possible use of a wish map

·         The network of cycling in Stockport at the present time is poor and somewhat disjointed and that the efforts that are made to address this are merely token gestures.

·         Members of the Forum felt that they should be consulted on large planning applications that affect rights of way.

·         It was disappointing that no Members of the Council were present at the meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration will provide a verbal report at the meeting.

Officer contact: Ernest Nama Telephone 474 4595 email: ernest.nama@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration provided a verbal report to members of the Forum.

The report provided members of the Forum with details of the most recent ongoing consultation that had taken place on this matter.  Both individuals and groups were encouraged to respond to the questionnaire and they had until 17 March 2017 to do so. All this information would then be read and analysed and a draft plan would be developed.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members of the Forum questioned how a coordinated response could be sent.  In response to this it was agreed that the Chair and Vice Chair of the Local Access Forum would work together on this.

·         Any responses could be sent to Democratic Services who would forward them on.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Local Access Forum is requested to agree the dates for future meetings.

RESOLVED – That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to arrange a meeting for early September.