Management of the SW Coast Path and Local Access Forum Involvement
Hilary Winter, Regional Coordinator SW LAFs.
Minutes:
Hilary Winter, Regional Co-ordinator for the South West LAFs, gave a presentation to Members. She advised that:
·
Torbay was one of 15 national coastal path trails in the United
Kingdom covering a total of 633 miles with Torbay share bring 22
miles.
·
South West Coast Path (SWCP) was a Gold Winner for the Best Walking
Route and at the Tourism Excellence Awards 2013-1014 the South West
Coast Path had won the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism
Award.
·
SWCP was to receive £2.1 million extra funding between 2010-2014 with tourism visits increasing from 7.9
million to 8.6 million between 2010 and 2013 with the expenditure
of these walkers increasing by 15% to £436 million during
this time and associated employment related to this spend growing
to 9,771 full-time equivalent jobs.
·
There were significant benefits to Torbay with walkers spending on
accommodation, food, drink and shopping
and health benefits associated with exercise and exposure to green
space with associated savings to the NHS.
·
There was a new management arrangement set out in Natural
England’s New Deal for National Trails.
· The core grant from Natural England had been reduced from 100% to 75% and was administered by the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust on Torbay’s behalf to manage the coastal paths and to monitor the National Trail quality standards known as the four ‘E’s’
1) Experience
2) Enhancement
3) Engagement
4)
Economy
·
SWCP Management Structure split into four groups with James Nichols
sitting on the Regional Stakeholder Group along with Councillor Ray
Hill and Hilary Winter representing LAF. There has been one meeting so far with another due
in October 2014.
·
There are nine local Stakeholder Groups to cover the SW Coast Path
with Torbay being in the Brixham to Starcross stretch, one of the shortest at 39
miles.
·
LAFs are invited to participate in the Stakeholder Groups as they
know the local coastal paths and are able to identify problems and
identify future projects.
·
Members of the Torbay Local Access Forum are invited to identify
potential projects which could attract funding.
Members to send these ideas to the Clerk to compile
(internal deadline 4 weeks and should consist of 5 bullet
points).
Hilary Winter will advise Members of the deadline for
submission of the projects which can be done through a link which
will be sent to them separately by the Clerk.
· South West Coast Path announced at the beginning of August a £1 million Investment through the Coastal Communities Fund. This project will repair, improve and promote the South West Coast Path (SWCP).
Funds
will help with 32 urgent repair works to the path, information
boards and signage, and marketing. This will create and
safeguard around 788 jobs from construction, management and tourism
generated by the path.
·
South West Coast Path Association is a Membership organisation,
established as a charity in 1973 with Esther Pearson employed as
the new Business Development Manager to increase volunteers to
monitor path conditions, oversee commercial partnership and
sponsorship, develop fundraising bids and develop relationships
with key partners – the SWCP Team, the National Trust and
highway authorities.
·
There will be Great SW Walks taking place between 20th
and 28th September 2014 raising funds through sponsored
walks which will be used for improvements to the Coast Path and for
Children’s Hospice South West.
· Monday 22nd September at Walls Hill (Babbacombe) there will be a History and Wildlife Walk. http://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/great-sw-walks/bookings/
Members thanked Hilary for attending the meeting and for her informative presentation.
Contact Governance Support
- Email: governance.support@torbay.gov.uk
- Tel: 01803 207087
- Fax: 01803 207112
- Torbay Council
Town Hall
Castle Circus
Torquay
TQ1 3DR
- Brixham Town Council
- Budget digest
- Calendar
- Civic Mayor
- Committees
- Constitution
- Councillors' allowances
- Councillors' behaviour, interests and standards
- Decisions
- Decision lists
- Forward plans
- Get involved and have your say
- How the Council works
- Independent remuneration panel
- Meetings
- Outside bodies
- Overview & Scrutiny
- Search documents
- Subscribe to updates
- What's new
- Your Councillors
- Your MPs
- Become a Councillor