Report - APPENDIX III:

APPENDIX III:   APPENDIX III: THE EAST SUSSEX PUBLIC SERVICE AGREEMENT 2003 - 2006 SUPPORTING THE RURAL ECONOMY

Long-term social and economic changes, together with high impact events such as Foot and Mouth disease and flooding, have led to a decline in the value of traditional agriculture, significant pressures on land-based businesses to change and a decline in private and public services in rural areas.

To help slow this decline and to support businesses through the changes that will inevitably come to rural areas, the County Council is proposing to enter into a Public Service Agreement, (PSA), with central government.

The Agreement will aim to help in two ways - through assisting with farm diversification schemes and business development and through increasing the number of visitors using the public rights of way network and spending money in rural businesses, such as tearooms, pubs, shops and visitor attractions.

The increase in visitors will be achieved through the improvement and promotion of a network of paths, catering for all types of user (eg a selection of routes for walkers, horse-riders, cyclists and users with mobility difficulties), mainly using existing public rights of way.

The majority of these routes will be either long-distance linear routes, or shorter circular paths based around businesses or a wetland/woodland theme and promotion is hoped to be through a combination of a new website with interactive mapping and a series of leaflets amongst other things.

To gather data about existing user numbers we are currently undertaking a programme of installing counters, replacing stiles in need of repair wherever possible. Horse use will be recorded by means of infrared counters installed on the bridleway sections.

The project, amounting to £1.5 million over the next three years, will run from April 2003 and, if all the targets are met, could generate a reward grant from central government of around £800,000.

Work on the provisional selection of routes will be priced in the first few months and, depending on what excess funding is likely to be available, suggestions for additions will be sought from the many organisations that contribute to the rights of way network throughout the County.

These changes will lead to another re-organisation of the Rights of Way Team, with David Munn managing the project from our depot at Heathfield and the recruitment of a new North Wealden Area Officer to cover the work in this area.

The PSA will mean more money being to put into our ‘standard’ maintenance work, with an additional team of Rights of Way Rangers being recruited and increases in the funds available for most work.

The next few years promise to show a dramatic improvement in the condition of all our rights of way. Source: Rights of Way Department East Sussex County Council.