Anger at West Sussex County Council’s decision on National Park
28 January 2010
Countryside organisations have today reacted angrily to the news that West Sussex County Council has ignored pleas from the public, environmental organisations and even its own Environment Committee about public paths in the South Downs National Park. The County Council has announced it will definitely take back the maintenance of rights of way and countryside sites in the West Sussex National Park area. At a stroke, this will end eighteen years of very successful integrated path work throughout Sussex and jeopardises the goodwill of hundreds of volunteers.
This decision, made by cabinet member Councillor Deborah Urquhart, comes despite the chorus of protests which erupted following the controversial proposal on public paths in the South Downs National Park. Members of the public, South Downs volunteers, environmental organisations and the Council’s own environment committee had urged the Council to delay until a proper consultation had been done and all the facts were known.
Dave Brookshaw of the South Downs Society said: “We are very disappointed by West Sussex County Council’s decision. The fact they won’t even wait to discuss this important issue with the National Park when it is set up in a couple of months’ time does not bode well for partnership working in the future.”
Ruth Chambers of the Campaign for National Parks added: “We think the County Council is being blasé about the ease with which staff can be transferred from the South Downs Joint Committee. There is now a very real risk of losing very talented staff, who are hugely experienced, know the area like the backs of their hands, and who have built up excellent relationships with the public and landowners over many years. We deplore this decision by West Sussex County Council.”
Kate Ashbrook of the Open Spaces Society said: “At the Environment Committee meeting, Richard Perry, a senior officer at West Sussex County Council, said if the decision to take back path management was confirmed, it would not be set in stone. We call on the County Council to publish a timetable for the early review of this very bad decision.”
For further information, please contact Jacquetta Fewster at the South Downs Society, tel 0780 1233582.
Notes for Editors
Within the National Park statutory responsibility for the maintenance of public rights of way rests with the highway authorities, including West Sussex County Council. Since 1992, day to day maintenance of the paths has been carried out by the Sussex Downs Conservation Board, and more recently by the South Downs Joint Committee, on behalf of both West and East Sussex County Councils.
West Sussex announced on Christmas Eve that it did not intend to continue this arrangement when the South Downs National Park Authority replaces the Joint Committee. County Councillor Derek Deedman called-in the issue, which was considered by the Environmental Services Select Committee on Tuesday 19 January and which recommended delaying the decision until fuller consultation had been done.
West Sussex County Council issued a press release on 27 January announcing that the decision on rights of way was to stand.
The South Downs Society, established in 1923, is an environmental charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing the landscape of the Downs for the benefit of the public.
The Campaign for National Parks (CNP) is the national charity that campaigns to protect and promote National Parks for the benefit and quiet enjoyment of all.
The Open Spaces Society, founded in 1865, is Britain’s oldest national conservation body. It campaigns to protect and create common land, town and village greens and public rights of way.
For press queries please contact:
Ruth Chambers, Head of Policy on
020 7924 4077 ext. 222