Public Participation

Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, the forum was set up as a statutory advisory body to Public Rights of Way department of Essex County Council. There are 2 primary roles of the forum, one is to advise on Open Access Land and the second is to advice on Rights of Way Improvement Plans. The role of the forum is strategic and is to advise Essex County Council on direction for the service. The forum meeting is held in public but is not a public meeting. The public can submit items and questions and may be invited to participate by the chairman. The County Council is not a member of the forum and therefore questions for Essex County Council to address (eg) matters of policy and practise, are not appropriate for the forum. Issues relating to specific Rights of Way problems are better directed to officers of Essex County Council –see attached sheet. Alternatively a Rights of Way User Group Meeting is held quarterly at County Hall where more local matters can be raised direct with the officers. Public participation at meetings of the Local Access Forum for Essex 1. Members of the public may ask questions, make statements or representations, on matters relating to items on the published agenda subject to notice of the items being raised being submitted and received by the Forum Officer at least 2 days before the meeting. 2. We cannot guarantee that all questions, statements or representations will be covered during such meeting as some might be put forward for a future agenda. 3. Any question, statement, representation, deputation or petition shall be confined to an item on the published agenda. 4. The Forum Officer and Chairman will programme any new items into a future meeting and will inform the sender accordingly. 5. The notice must be acknowledged by the person wishing to speak and give full details of the matter to be raised, including details of any questions that will be asked. It should also indicate if the notice is on behalf of a group or delegation. Name, full postal address, telephone number, and email if available, must be given. Correspondence sent via email will be classed as a signed letter. 6. Any item deemed by the Forum Officer to be; (a) defamatory. (b) relate to a specific County Officer, County Council Member or Forum Member. (c) repetition of subjects dealt with at previous meetings. will not be accepted and the speaker will be informed in writing accordingly. 7. A speaker, or spokesperson for a delegation, will normally be allowed up to 3 minutes to make a brief statement explaining the background if necessary. 8. The Chairman of the Forum would normally respond on behalf of the Forum as spokesperson. 9. Subject to the Chairman’s permission, members of the Forum or County Council Officers, may ask relevant questions of a speaker. 10. If a speaker is unable to attend the meeting their submission may be read out by the Chairman. The response will be included in the minutes of the meeting. Minutes will be posted on http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/display/guides/local_acccess_forum_Guide_197073/index.jsp Hard copies will be available on request. 11. Written/communicated questions may be handed in to the Forum Officer at the start of the meeting. These items should be relevant to the agenda and will be sifted by the Forum Officer and Chairman. The Chairman will decide if they may be discussed during the meeting. 12. The Chairman’s decision shall be final on all matters relating to public participation in Forum meetings.