ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 2018 RIGHTS OF WAY
NETHER WALLOP PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 2018
RIGHTS OF WAY (INCLUDING LENGTHSMAN ACTIVITY)
Executive Summary
- A good year with our Rights of Way staying in relatively good order given the resources available to keep them clear.
- HCC Contractors carried out the annual major clearance of the Parish’s nominated Rights of Way (primarily the large Restricted Byways west of the B3084 Romsey Road) as planned in August, and to a high standard.
- NWPC joined the HCC Lengthsman Scheme towards the end of the year. This provides (at current rates) up to 57 hours of work by the Lengthsman on either Rights of Way or simple Highways related tasks.
- Notification from HCC that it has received five applications claiming historic Rights of Way across private land in the Parish.
- HCC replaced one footbridge during the period.
Overview of Responsibilities:
Statutory responsibility (duty) for maintaining Rights of Way lies with Hampshire County Council. This responsibility is not delegated down to Parishes, which have a right (power), but not a responsibility, to carry out maintenance. In practice HCC contractors carry out a clearance operation on five RoW (nominated by NWPC) once per year. Until the end of 2017, further work has been carried out by the NWPC Rights of Way officer on a voluntary basis. For the coming year, this will be supplemented by the availability of a HCC funded Lengthsman. See below.
Expenditure:
Iain James has committed approximately 40 hours of volunteer time “on the ground” using the NWPC owned strimmer and hedge cutter. He has been helped by Mr Simon Tilling, who worked on the paths around School Lane, Mr Mark Lovell, who has carried out work around Hollom Down Road, and by the efforts of landowners and house owners keeping the paths on or adjacent to their properties clear. In addition Mr Tilling, and others, have helped with chainsaw work on fallen trees and branches as required.
£12.82 was spent on fuel and lubricants for the tools.
The RoW officer does not claim personal expenses.
Scope of Works Carried Out by NWPC:
Strimming/side cutting of all the principal footpaths in the main body of the Parish area, together with some of the Restricted Byways west of the B3084 Romsey Road, and between Hollom Down Road and the A343.
Replacement and reinstatement of timber finger boards and way marker discs as required.
Following a request from the RoW officer HCC staff replaced a small bridge on a footpath leading from the St Andrews churchyard towards the Mill (Footpath Number 18)
HCC Contractors carried out the annual major clearance of the Parish’s nominated Rights of Way (primarily the large Restricted Byways west of the B3084 Romsey Road) as planned in August, and to a high standard. For the coming year, the nominated Rights of Way for HCC clearance are again the major Restricted Byways (RBs 35, 36 and 37), Footpath 4 (The Dean – Knockwood Lane) and (as a one off for this year) FP 25 which is part of a link path in the west of the Parish between the A30 and the Clarendon Way.
Non RoW related works
Using NWPC tools the RoW officer has also carried out some clearance work on the bus shelter on the A343 at Jacks Bush, and cleared moss/undergrowth from the pavement around the bus shelter on the A343 in Jacks Bush.
As part of a community effort NWPC assets were used to support the clearance of the Rill adjacent to the Green to alleviate the risk of flooding.
Flytipping
Two instances of significant fly tipping were reported through the TVBC online system by the RoW officer during the last year. Both were cleared within 48 hours. TVBC are to be thanked for this excellent service.
Complaints
NWPC received only one formal complaint this year, from a resident of Jacks Bush, demanding immediate action by the Parish on some paths. It transpired that the paths had either already been cleared, or were part of the HCC programme.
Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMO) HCC has informed NWPC that five DMMO orders have been submitted to it by a resident of Andover seeking to have a network of new Restricted Byway level Rights of Way between Dene Farm and Danebury Vineyard by claiming historical use. The individual appears not to have consulted the landowners or NWPC before submitting these applications. The Landowners concerned are aware. NWPC will be invited in due course to comment on these applications, although this is not expected to be for many months, if not years.
Lengthsman (HCC Direct Funded)
NWPC joined the HCC Lengthsman Scheme in late 2017. The scheme gives NWPC access to up to £1000 of RoW or Highways related works to be carried out by an independent HCC subcontractor. Our Lengthsman is administered by Stockbridge PC, and all invoicing and payment administration is handled by its nominated officer. As NWPC joined the scheme in November, after the HCC contractor cut, and after the end of the growing season, the majority of his work was highway safety (sight lines etc), or flood alleviation in the Environment Agency Level 2 and 3 Flood Risk area (Farley Street from around Bent Street junction south to Heathman Street/Wisdom Lane, The Square, and Ducks Lane). Although the funding is allocated on a public sector Apr/Apr Financial Year, we have been granted some carry forward, which has allowed some useful early work on some the Restricted Byways to be carried out in May, dealing with Spring growth delayed by the cold weather in Feb/Mar.
A summary of his work for the FY 17/18 year is as follows:
Month Hours Cost (£) Works
Nov 22 385.00 Drainage: The Rill; Wisdom Lane/Heathman St area. Road junction sight lines: A30/Wallop Drove; B3084/Wallop Drove; Heathman St/Square, Removal of encroaching tree stumps damaging Stewart’s Bridge. Footpath 7: chainsaw work on overhanging tree.
Dec 7 122.50 Road junction sight lines: Hollom Down Road/A30, Add anti slip surface to footbridge (Mill – St Andrews Church); Clear grass from pedestrian pavement: Jacks Bush
Jan 5.5 96.25 Flood prevention: clear grips – Heathman Street; clear culvert: Ducks Lane; clear drain covers: Ducks Lane.
Feb 5.5 96.25 Flood prevention: clear culvert: Bent St/Farley St; clear drain covers: Heathman St/The Square; dig out grips: Heathman St/Farley St
Mar 4 70.00 Flood prevention: Clear Rill; Footpaths: strim new growth FP7
Apr 0 0
May* 13 227.50 Brushcut/Side Cut RBs 35, 36, 37 and FP4
Total 57 997.50
(* Still to be invoiced at time of meeting)
Iain James
NWPC Rights of Way