| 1.
|
Name
The Forum shall be called The Local Access Forum for Essex but shall
be hereinafter referred to as the Forum. The Forum has been established
by Essex County Council (the Appointing Authority) in accordance
with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. |
|
|
| 2.
|
Status of the Forum. |
|
|
| 2.1
|
The
Forum is a statutory advisory body and as such has no decision making
powers 2.2 The Forum is independent and does not form part of local
government. |
|
|
| 3.
|
The
Function of the Forum |
|
|
| 3.1
|
The
function of the Forum is to advise- the Appointing Authority, or-
any body exercising functions under Part 1 of the Countryside and
Rights of Way Act 2000, or- any other body as may be prescribed
as to the improvement of public access to land in that area for
the purposes of open-air recreation and the enjoyment of the area,
and as to such other matters as may be prescribed. 3.2 In carrying
out its functions the Forum shall have regard to- the needs of land
management,- the desirability of conserving the natural beauty of
the area for which it is established, including the flora, fauna
and geological and physiographical features of the area, and guidance
given from time to time by the Secretary of State. |
|
|
| 4.
|
Size
of Membership The Forum shall consist of no fewer than 10 and not
more than 22 Members. For the avoidance of doubt the Appointing
Authority shall decide upon the precise number of members at any
given time. |
|
|
| 5.
|
Terms
of Membership |
|
|
| 5.1
|
Members
of the Forum shall be appointed by the Appointing Authority in accordance
with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. |
|
|
| 5.2
|
A
Member of the Forum shall be appointed for not less than one and
not more than three years. |
|
|
| 5.3
|
Members
of the Forum shall be persons who appear to the Appointing Authority
to be representative of:- |
|
|
| 5.3.
|
1. Users of local rights of way or rights of the public in relation
to access land. |
|
|
| 5.3.
|
2.
Owners and occupiers of access land or land over which local rights
of way subsist, or |
|
|
| 5.3
|
3.
Any other interests especially relevant to the authority's area.
|
|
|
| 5.4
|
Where
the Forum consist of not more than 16 Members not more than two
Members of the Forum may also be Members of a district or County
Council or National Park authority for any part of the area of the
Forum. |
|
|
| 5.5
|
Where
the Forum consists of no fewer than 17 Members not more than three
Members of the Forum may also be Members of a district or County
Council or National Park authority for any part of the area of the
Forum. |
|
|
| 5.6
|
A
Member of the Forum may resign by notice in writing to the Appointing
Authority. |
|
|
| 6.
|
Termination
of Membership of the Forum |
|
|
| 6.1
|
The
Appointing Authority shall terminate the appointment of a Member
of the Forum if they are satisfied that he has become a Member of
a district or county council or National Park authority and as a
result paragraphs 5.4 and 5.5 of this Constitution have not been
complied with. |
|
|
| 6.2
|
The
Appointing Authority may terminate the appointment of a Member of
the Forum if:- |
|
|
| 6.2.1
|
without
the consent of the Appointing Authority he has been absent from
all meetings of the Forum during a period of one year, or |
|
|
| 6.2.2.
|
he
has failed to comply with paragraph 8.2 of this constitution
|
|
|
| 7.
|
Appointment
of Chairman and Vice-Chairman |
|
|
| 7.1
|
The
Forum shall have a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman who shall be appointed
by election from amongst the Members of the Forum. |
|
|
| 7.2
|
The
first Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Forum shall be appointed
at the first meeting of the Forum. |
|
|
| 7.3
|
The period of appointment of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall
be determined by the Forum, but in each case it may not exceed the
period of appointment as a Member of the Forum. |
|
|
| 7.4
|
The
Forum should attempt to maintain a reasonable balance between the
interests which are represented by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman
as set out in paragraph 5.3 of this Constitution. In order to achieve
this the Forum shall take such steps with regard to the selection
of candidates for election as Chairman and Vice-Chairman to ensure
that so far as practicable the Chairman or Vice-Chairman each represent
a different category of interest as set out in paragraphs 5.3.1
to 5.3.3. However, where each was appointed to the Forum on the
basis of an interest under paragraph 5.3.3 the Forum should ensure
that the Chairman and Vice Chairman do not in any way represent
the same interest. |
|
|
| 8.
|
Meetings
|
|
|
| 8.1
|
The
Forum shall hold no fewer than two meetings every year. |
|
|
| 8.2
|
A Member who is directly or indirectly interested in any matter
brought up for consideration at a meeting shall disclose the nature
of his interest to the meeting. |
|
|
| 9.
|
Access
to Meetings and Documents of the Forum |
|
|
| 9.1
|
A
meeting of the Forum shall be open to the public. |
|
|
| 9.2
|
Copies
of the agenda for a meeting of the Forum and copies of any report
for the meeting shall be open to inspection by members of the public
at the offices of the Appointing Authority namely County Hall, Chelmsford,
Essex. |
|
|
| 9.3
|
Any
document which is required by sub-paragraph 9.2 above to be open
to inspection shall be so open out least three clear days before
the meeting except that 9.3.1 where a meeting is convened at shorter
notice, the copies of the agenda and reports shall be open to inspection
from the time the meeting is convened and |
|
|
| 9.3.2
|
where
an item is added to an agenda, copies of the document adding the
item to the agenda and the copies of any report for the meeting
relating to the item shall be open to inspection from the time the
item is added to the agenda. |
|
|
| 9.4
|
For
the avoidance of doubt nothing in this paragraph requires copies
of any agenda, document or report to be open to inspection by the
public until copies are available to Members of the Forum. |
|
|
| 9.5
|
An
item of business may not be considered at a meeting of the Forum
unless either, |
|
|
| 9.5.1
|
Sub-paragraph
9.3 above has been complied with, or |
|
|
| 9.5.2
|
By
reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the
minutes the Chairman is of the opinion that the item should be considered
at the meeting as a matter of urgency. |
|
|
| 9.6
|
The
Forum shall prepare an annual report on the discharge of its functions
which shall be published by the Appointing Authority. |
|
|
| 10.
|
Secretary
to the Forum |
|
|
| 10.1
|
The Secretary to the Forum shall be employed by the Appointing Authority
and shall be responsible for the administration of the Forum. |
|
|
| 10.2
|
For
the avoidance of doubt the Secretary may not be a member of the
Forum or an elected member of the Appointing Authority. |
|
|
| 11.
|
Alteration
of the Constitution No alteration or addition shall be made to this
Constitution other than by the Appointing Authority as required.
|
|
|
| 12.
|
Members
Expenses |
|
|
| 12.1
|
The
Appointing Authority shall meet the reasonable expenses of the Forum
or its Members. |
|
|
| 12.2
|
For
the avoidance of doubt reasonable expenses incurred by Members of
the Forum shall be limited to expenses incurred by them in connection
with their attendance at meetings of the Forum, but only in respect
of |
|
|
| 12.2.1
|
travel
and subsistence costs, and |
|
|
| 12.2.2
|
any
expenses of arranging the care of their children or dependants. |
|
|