Agenda and minutes

Jak Abrahams, Robert Pritchard, Jill Waring

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2023 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Panel considered a report from the Director for Corporate Services for an application to upgrade Public Footpath 18 Swynnerton to a Public Bridleway.

The report was presented verbally to take Members through the user and historical evidence relevant to the application. Members were made aware that they should examine the evidence in its totality. During their consideration of the application, Members had regard to the Appendices attached to the report including:

• Appendix A Copy of application Form 1
• Appendix B Plan of claimed route
• Appendix C User Evidence Statements (14)
• Appendix D User Evidence Matrix
• Appendix E Representative Correspondence
• Appendix F 1910 Finance Act
• Appendix G 1986 Tinted OS Map
• Appendix H Landowner Declaration
• Appendix I Parish Survey Card & Correspondence FP 18 Swynnerton
• Appendix J Parish Survey card BW 9 Whitmore
• Appendix K Forestry Commission Letter
• Appendix L Landowner Evidence form John German
• Appendix M Email from Forestry Commission
• Appendix N Landowner A Evidence Form
• Appendix O Landowner B Evidence Form
• Appendix P Landowner C Evidence Form
• Appendix Q Parish Council Response
• Appendix R Stafford Borough Council Response
• Appendix S Ramblers Association Response
• Appendix T SCC Complaints Response

The Panel decided that the available evidence submitted was not sufficient to show that a Public Bridleway subsisted along the route marked “A to B” on the plan attached at Appendix B in the report, and therefore should not be upgraded to a Public bridleway on the Definitive Map and Statement of Public Rights of Way as such.

The Panel also decided that the available evidence submitted was sufficient to show, that a Public Bridleway subsists along the route marked “B to C” on the plan attached at Appendix B in the report, and therefore should be upgraded to a Public Bridleway on the Definitive Map and Statement of Public Rights of Way.

Decided – That (a) the evidence submitted by the applicant and that discovered by the County Council was not sufficient to show that a Public Bridleway subsisted along the route marked “A to B” on the plan attached at Appendix B in the report, and therefore should not be upgraded to a Public Bridleway.

(b) evidence submitted by the Applicant in the application was

sufficient to show, that a Public bridleway subsisted along the route marked “B to C” on the plan attached at Appendix B to this report and therefore should be upgraded to a Public Bridleway.

(c) an Order be made to upgrade the footpath marked “B to C” on the attached map at Appendix B to the definitive map and statement of Public right of way for the District of Stafford to the minimum width of 3 metres throughout its length.

The Chairman to move:

“That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 indicated below”.

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Part Two

(All reports in this section are exempt)

Resolved – That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 indicated below.