Type of Website: Local Access Forum

Lincolnshire County Council

'Join a Local Access Forum to advise local decision-makers on rights of way and green space; find out how to contact each LAF in England.'

Natural England

Local Access Forums Map [Natural England]

'A Local Access Forum is a group of representatives with a range of interests in access, who come together to discuss how to develop, manage and promote access locally. Generally the LAF includes representatives from: * Users (eg representing walkers, cyclists, horse riders, people with disabilities and water sports); * Land managers (eg bodies representing farming, estates and businesses, forestry); * Public agencies (eg  access authority, local enterprise company, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission); * Community interests (eg representing the community council, local residents' association).'

'An advisory group appointed by the National Park Authority. The Forum has 13 members, including representatives for conservation, recreational groups, landowners / managers and a National Park Authority Board Member.'

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

'The L.O.A.F. is an advisory body to the Council in its role as the Area Access Authority. It has no executive powers but plays an important consultative and consensus building role on outdoor access related matters across Moray.'

Primary purposes are to: [1] Improve the quality and extent of access to the countryside and coasts of Wales - - - : [2] Extend the opportunities for enjoyment and responsible outdoor recreation to all.

Natural Resources Wales

'The statutory local access forum for the New Forest National Park and South West Hampshire (New Forest District Council area) as required under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The appointing authorities are the New Forest National Park Authority and Hampshire County Council. The Forum is an independent body and is not bound by the policies of its appointing authorities.'

New Forest National Park

'The Norfolk Local Access Forum (NLAF) is currently seeking to recruit a variety of new members and invites applications from individuals who have a passion for the outdoors; with particular interests in public access ... The NLAF is looking for enthusiastic and proactive individuals with excellent communication skills and a drive to move things forward. An ability to discuss and consider a range of topics, issues and opinions with large groups and to work in partnership with others is absolutely essential to the role of a LAF member.'

Norfolk County Council

'The aim of the Forum is to advise on the improvement of public access for open-air leisure and the enjoyment of the area ... Applications are invited from persons interested in serving on the forum. If you are interested, please contact ...'

North Lincolnshire Council

Details of recent and upcoming Meetings plus of the Committee's Membership.

North Yorkshire County Council

North York Moors National Park Local Access Forum

'An independent body with an interest in public rights of way and access to the countryside in our area ... The Forum covers the county of Northumberland and gives advice on three main areas: [1] Improving the Rights of Way network - - - : [2] Developing strategies for recreation and access which cater for a wide range of people - - - : [3] Implementing the statutory right of access to the countryside.'

Northumberland National Park

'The Forum will be consulted on two main topics: [1] Implementation and management of access to the open spaces within and peripheral to the city - - - : [2] Development of the public rights of way network within the city through the Rights of Way Improvement Plan'

'The Land Reform Scotland Act 2003 requires each Local Authority to set up at least one Local Access Forum to advise it, any other person or body who asks for advice, on issues that arise in relation to the management of outdoor access. Local Access Forums have a key role to play in outdoor access. It is hoped they will become valued new local institutions – independent, expert and trusted – that can help access authorities, land managers and access users.'

Orkney Islands Council

'OCAF meets two to three times per year and main meetings are open to the public ... Expressions of interest for new members are always welcomed all through the year.'

Oxfordshire County Council

Peak District National Park

'All Forum meetings are open to the public and you can find out where and when the next meeting is on the agendas, meetings and minutes page along with copies of meeting minutes.'

Plymouth City Council

'The Forum represents the interests of: [1] Landowners - - - : [2] Land managers - - - : [3] Conservation groups - - - : [4] Users of public paths and open spaces'

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Rutland County Council

'The Sheffield LAF was formed in 2003 and has 14 members, who have been appointed for a maximum of 3 years each. The members represent the interests of landowners, land managers, conservation groups and users of public paths and open spaces. Vacancies sometimes exist for LAF members - contact us for further details. LAF meetings are generally held quarterly and are open to the public (although the public will generally not be able to speak).'

Sheffield City Council

'The Forum has been set up under The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to provide independent guidance to the council and other relevant organisations on sustainable access issues in the Borough.'.

Slough Borough Council

'In April 2002, the Snowdonia National Park established two Local Access Forums – one for the North, and one (jointly with Gwynedd Council) for the South of the National Park. The Forums were established in accordance with Regulations issued by Welsh Assembly Government and guidance from the Countryside Council for Wales. Membership is equally balanced between land management and recreation interests. Meetings are open to the public. The Membership must be reappointed every three years, in accordance with the Regulations.'

Snowdonia National Park

'This Forum meets at least twice a year and covers the area of Somerset, with the exception of Exmoor National Park, which has its own forum. There are 16 members of which; 14 are members of the public and 2 are elected members from Somerset County Council and of the District/ Borough Councils. The members are representatives of 3 main fields of interest related to access to the countryside namely users, landowners and other interests such as tourism, economic regeneration, health and education. They are selected from applications received by us and have a 3 year term of office.'

Somerset County Council

'The Forum consists of 16 members who comprise a reasonable representation of individuals and bodies with an interest in outdoor access including land managers, recreational users and public bodies.'

South Ayrshire Council

'Advises the National Park Authority and others on how best to manage access to the countryside in the National Park. There are seventeen members of the South Downs Local Access Forum who represent the views of land managers, users and others with an interest in countryside access ...'

South Downs National Park Authority

'[1] Browse meetings and agendas for this committee - - - : [2] View contact details for the members of this committee - - - : [3] View attendance statistics - - - : [4] View declarations of interest'

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

'The Surrey Countryside Access Forum is looking to recruit new members. If you have a specific interest in land management and nature conservation, or are a landowner, and would like to have a say on issues relating to access to the countryside, please email ...'

Surrey County Council

'The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Regulations enabled Joint Local Access Forums to be established: the Boroughs of Stockton on Tees, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Darlington formed a Joint Local Access Forum in September 2003 to consider and contribute to cross boundary initiatives.' ALERT Website of the Forum inaccessible at Review.

Hartlepool Borough Council

'The TLAF is made up of between 10 and 16 members with wide ranging interests. They can represent landowners and managers, users of access land (such as walkers, horse riders and cyclists) and other interests such as tourism, conservation, disability issues and outdoor sport.'

Torbay Council

'Every three years, interested members of the public are invited to apply to become a member of the LAF. The applications are assessed by the local authority and the successful members are appointed for a three year period. The authority also provides secretarial support to the LAF but the forum must set their own agendas with individual members actively encouraged to suggest agenda items and provide supporting papers where necessary.'

Torfaen County Borough

'An independent body with an interest in public rights of way and access to the countryside in our area. The Forum meets four times a year and new members are welcome.'

'Members of the Forum are appointed by the three authorities to serve a term of either two or three years. The Forum’s membership is made up of people with an interest in the countryside and access, though not necessarily representatives of organisations. Interests that it is hoped to have represented by the Forum include: [1] walking, cycling, horseriding and recreational motor vehicle use - - - : [2] landownership and land management - - - : [3] accessibility - - - : [4] tourism - - - : [5] access provision - - - : [6] relevant professions'

'West Sussex Local Access Forum (WSLAF) is an independent official body which covers the whole of the County, with the exception of the South Downs National Park which has its own Local Access Forum.'

West Sussex County Council

'Wigan Local Access Forum (LAF) is launching into a new era and we need your input now. Since Local Access Forums first started in 2002, there have been many changes in policies, priorities and resources for everyone everywhere; Wigan has been no exception. In response to this situation Wigan has reviewed the future role of the LAF and sees it as being an important consultee to major strategic and development projects which are being progressed by the Council and within the Borough.'

Wigan Council