Countryside Access Strategy 2016

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made 22 July 2016:

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2016-0102
Decision Summary Title :	Release the Countryside Access Strategy 2016		Date of Decision Summary:	20/07/16
Decision Summary Author:	Principal Ecologist		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title :	Countryside Access Strategy 2016		Date of Written Report:
Written Report Author:	Natural Environment Officer		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Countryside Access Strategy 2016
Decision(s): The Minister for the Environment approved the release and implementation of the Countryside Access Strategy
Reason(s) for Decision: The Countryside Access Strategy is a Departmental of the Environment strategy which will provide increased and better coordinated public recreation and access opportunities to the countryside of Jersey
Resource Implications: Resources have been provided for implementation of the Strategy. No additional resource requirements have been identified.
Action required: Director of Environmental Management and Rural Economy to begin implementation of the strategy.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Countryside Access Strategy 2016

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Countryside Access Strategy 2016

Purpose of the Report

For the Minister to approve the publication and implementation of the Countryside Access Strategy 2016

Background

Jersey has an extensive network of paths across public and private land in some of the Island’s most beautiful landscapes.

The paths are used by an estimated 100,000 people a year including local walkers and tourists. They help to promote significant environmental, educational, health and economic benefits to the Island.

The States of Jersey Natural Environment Team manages 70 km of public access to the Jersey countryside, however, there are a number of other agencies that provide additional public access.

The need for a review of how the network is managed is long overdue. The Jersey countryside and its associated biodiversity is one of its most treasured assets but it is under considerable pressure. Increasing population leads to an increasing requirement for housing and recreational open space. Access in the countryside raises conflict between users, providers and land owners on narrow paths which are mainly unsuitable for shared use. Furthermore, limited funding and investment since the early 1990’s has resulted in a gradually deteriorating asset, and much of the infrastructure, installed at the same time as the paths were created in the 1980’s, is long past its replacement date. In addition, a lack of coordinated working by access providers in the past has resulted in an ad hoc and often confusing jumble of signs, unconnected paths and untargeted and non-strategic funding.

In 2014, the Department undertook a public consultation to ask for people’s views on the main issues surrounding use of the paths and possible options for their future management and posed a series of questions: How do people use the paths? What other facilities would they like? How can we balance the cost of maintaining the paths to keep them safe and usable with limited resources?

What is clear is that paths originally designed for pedestrian use in the 1980’s are now being used for a much wider range of recreational pursuits: the access strategy consultation in 2014 highlighted this and that there was no clear consensus as to what people should use the access network for and how to avoid conflicts with different user groups.

Consequently, partnerships, communication and shared responsibility are key objectives that run through the final strategy. Four priority areas of work have been identified to help to achieve the vision that access to Jersey’s coast and countryside should be safe, sustainable and cost effective, with minimal impact on biodiversity.

The four priority areas are:

A. Engagement and cooperative working

B. Interpretation and awareness

C. Legislation

D. Managing and improving access to the countryside

In addition, the Department of the Environment will be investing additional financial and staff resources into delivering a set of short, medium and long-term actions to promote better engagement and cooperative working—identifying the barriers that are preventing people from enjoying and visiting the countryside and seeking to remove these barriers; improved interpretation and awareness and a network that has greater provision for a broader range of users and that is safe and resilient into the future

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the publication and implementation of the Countryside Access Strategy 2016.

Written by:	Natural Environment Officer

Approved by:	Director Environmental Management and Rural Economy

Ministerial Decision Case Ref: ………………………………………………