The Countryside Access (Local Access Forums) (Wales) Regulations 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note does not form part of the Regulations)

Section 94(1) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (“the Act”) requires a local access forum (“forum”) to be established by local highway authorities or, where the area to be covered by a forum is the responsibility of a National Park, the National Park authority (“appointing authorities”).

Where a forum is established for part of its area, the authority establishing it is under a duty to establish a further forum or forums for the remaining part or parts of that area.

A joint local access forum may be established by two or more appointing authorities if they consider it appropriate to do so.

Local access forums will advise bodies exercising functions conferred by the Act on issues concerning the improvement of public access to land and such other matters as may be prescribed by future Regulations.

Sections 94 and 95 of the Act empower the National Assembly for Wales to make regulations to provide for the establishment and operation of a forum.

In exercise of these powers, these Regulations provide the procedure to be followed by the appointing authority in establishing, and for the appointment of members to, a forum, and provide rules governing the procedures of forums.

Regulation 3 lays down the procedures under which appointing authorities are required to establish forums.

Regulation 4 fixes the limits to the size of forums.

Regulations 5 enables an appointing authority to vary the size of a forum during its term.

Regulations 6 to 9 set out the provisions relating to the appointment of members of forums.

Regulations 10 and 11 provide for the administration of a forum and for the appointment of a Secretary for this purpose and for the provision of financial support for the activities of forums.

Regulation 12 lays down the procedure for the election of a Chair and Deputy Chair of a forum.

Regulation 13 provides for the establishment by a forum of committees.

Regulation 14 deals with the circumstances under which a person’s membership of a forum terminates and provides for the filling of casual vacancies.

Regulation 15 sets out the procedures and requirements to be followed with regard to the conduct of a forum’s meetings.

Regulation 16 provides for annual reports to be prepared in relation to forums.

Regulation 17 provides for the provision to the National Assembly of information relating to the membership and activities of forums.