Agenda and minutes

The Chairman will ask the Committee Administrator to draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 7

Apologies were received from Councillor Douglas Deacon. Councillor June Player substituted for him.

At this point in the meeting, declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare;

(b) The nature of their interest; and

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or other interest (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Note: Councillor Liz Richardson wanted to put on record that issue at Item 9 fell within her ward but she confirmed that she did not live in the immediate area, had no land there and had an open mind on the matter.

There were none.

Councillor Geoff Ward asked for an assessment on the authority’s archive material and maps.

The Chair stated that the Committee would note Councillor Ward’s concerns and refer the issue to the relevant PDS Panel.

It was RESOLVED that the confirmation of the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th October 2014 be referred to the next meeting of this Committee when Councillor Douglas Deacon is present as he was in attendance at the October meeting.

To consider a recommendation to refuse this application and not register the land as a TVG

The Chair invited Graeme Stark (Senior Officer – Public Rights of Way) to introduce the item.

The officer informed the Committee that an Application has been received by Bath and North East Somerset Council in its capacity as Commons Registration Authority to register land known as Robin Candy’s Field in High Littleton as a Town or Village Green (TVG). The Application was advertised and an objection was received against registration. He further explained that an independent expert was instructed by the Authority to advise as to whether or not Robin Candy’s Fields should be registered as TVG. The inspector recommended that the land not be registered as a TVG as the relevant legal test had not been met. Although Greyfield was deemed to constitute a neighbourhood within a locality, the officer advised that it had not been demonstrated that the Application Land had been used by a significant number of inhabitants over a 20 year period for lawful sports and pastimes.

On a motion from Councillor Liz Richardson, seconded by Councillor Karen Warrington, it was unanimously RESOLVED to support the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application and not register the land cross hatched in blue on the plan attached at Appendix 1 to the report as a TVG.

To consider a recommendation that a DMMO should not be made to record additional public rights to the south of Holy Trinity Church on the Definitive Map and Statement (DMS)

The Chair invited Graeme Stark (Senior Officer – Public Rights of Way) to introduce the item.

The officer informed the Committee that the Regulatory Access Committee had previously resolved that officers should investigate whether unrecorded public rights exist over a route to the south of Holy Trinity Church in Norton Malreward. The officer reported that the investigation has been carried out and it now falls to the Committee to determine whether a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) should be made to modify the Definitive Map and Statement (the DM&S). based upon the evidence discovered.

The officer stated that the Investigation Route is shown on some Ordnance Survey maps to have physically existed but that there was insufficient evidence to reasonably allege that a public bridleway, or other unrecorded public rights, exist to the south of Holy Trinity Church.

On a motion from Councillor Liz Richardson, seconded by Councillor Karen Warrington, it was unanimously RESOLVED to support the officer’s recommendation that a DMMO should not be made to record additional public rights to the south of Holy Trinity Church on the DM&S.