Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2016/113

Contact: James Blockley, Countryside Access Team Leader Tel: (01865) 810205

Report by Interim Deputy Director for Environment & Economy - Commercial (CMDE11).

he Priority Caseload Approach (PCA) is a revised system for allocating staff and financial resources to issues arising on the network of Public Rights of Way (PRoW) across Oxfordshire. It is designed to manage public and stakeholder expectations and give objective guidance to officers and others involved in the fulfilment of OCC’s statutory responsibility for PRoW in a transparent and fair way. It is intended to encompass the majority of the OCC Countryside Access Team’s (CAT) work through this approach, and is not restricted to the prioritisation of reported issues.

The PCA was outlined in the Oxfordshire Rights of Way Management Plan 2015-25 (adopted by Cabinet in November 2014), but has undergone a process of consultation and redesign in the intervening two years. As such, further Cabinet approval (via Delegated Decisions) is required in order to for it to be fully embedded as a new management framework and to demonstrate to public and stakeholders that it benefits from organisational support.

The associated report explains the Approach in some depth, paying particular attention to planned benefits, practical application and process detail.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to support the objectives and principles of the Priority Caseload Approach and approve its implementation.

Approved

The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE11) a revised system (Priority Caseload Approach) for allocating staff and financial resources to issues arising on the network of public rights of way across Oxfordshire in order to manage effectively public and stakeholder expectations.

Mr Blockley outlined the importance of the rights of way network as a recreational aspect as well as a health and well being resource. The Countryside Access team wa small which made it all the more important to manage the network effectively and to make full and efficient use of resources.

It was important to prioritise work and also to publicise this approach to volunteers who carried out invaluable support work.

The Cabinet Member for Environment recorded his thanks to the efforts of volunteers who supported work carried out on the rights of way network and having regard to the information set out in the report before him and the representations made to him at the meeting confirmed his decision as follows:

to support the objectives and principles of the Priority Caseload Approach and approve its implementation.

Signed………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Environment

Dated……………………………………….