Resolved –

·         This Council notes the huge benefit to the health of residents from being able to access open spaces and fresh air.

·         This Council notes the £250,000 investment in maintaining our open and green spaces through the pandemic in the last budget and the ongoing work improving the accessibility of such spaces across the district.

·         This Council believes the District should be a place where people can choose to walk and that walking should be easy, enjoyable and accessible to everyone.

·         This Council recommits to removing the barriers that currently prevent many people from enjoying the benefits of walking and to improving the accessibility of the footpath network for people with limited mobility and for wheelchair users.

The Council instructs the Strategic Director of Place to:

·         Work towards ensuring that footpaths, access land and managed green spaces in its ownership are as accessible as possible, and report progress annually to the Local Access Forum and Regeneration & Environment Scrutiny Committee.

·         Ensure that the work done to improve accessibility is done appropriately to the environment, avoiding excessive “urbanisation” of the countryside.

·         Via the Local Access Forum, work with other organisations such as the Disabled Ramblers Association and the Ramblers Association to support their work in support of the British Standard 5709:2006 on Gaps, Gates and Stiles which requires the least restrictive option for all potential users, including people with disabilities or limited mobility, where a path crosses a boundary and specifies high-quality standards where barriers are justified.

ACTION: Strategic Director Place