Calderdale Council is inviting people to join a new group to encourage more people to get out and about in the local countryside.
The newly formed Calderdale Local Access Forum is recruiting new members to work with the Council and Natural England, to help improve public access to land in Calderdale for open-air recreation and enjoyment of the area.
The Council is keen to recruit people to represent a wide range of interests, including those of landowners, walkers, horse riders, cyclists, people with disabilities, young people and people with an interest in issues such as heritage, conservation, health and wellbeing, education and tourism.
Membership is on a voluntary basis (expenses can be claimed), and is for a minimum of one year, and up to a maximum of three years. The forum will have between 10 and 20 members and will meet around four times per year at times and locations to be decided by members.
The group was created as a result of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000) which required every council to set up a Local Access Forum. Originally Calderdale came under the West Yorkshire Pennines Local Access Forum but the decision was made to make the groups more local to increase their effectiveness.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Pauline Nash, said:
” It is really important for people to work together with the Council to promote the beautiful countryside we have in Calderdale. The Local Access Forum gives people a chance to have their say about issues that are important to them.”
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment, Cllr Barry Collins, added:
“Calderdale has some of the loveliest countryside in Britain, and we want to see more and more people getting out and about to enjoy it.”
Interested in finding out more? A drop-in session is taking place on Tuesday 22 January 2013 at the Central Library in Halifax, 4.30pm – 7.00pm. Please contact Mary Seaton, Calderdale Council’s Countryside and Woodlands Manager, on 01422 284417 or email mary.seaton@calderdale.gov.uk