Cheshire East Countryside Access Forum
The purpose of the Forum is to encourage and enable public access to the countryside for recreation and enjoyment. It is a statutory body set up as part of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000) to advise Cheshire East Council and Natural England on putting the new legislation into effect. It is independent of the Council.
The Forum works to balance the desire for greater public access to the countryside with the needs of landowners and land managers and to ensure the natural environment is not damaged as a result. It also gives advice to planners of major housing and transport developments about protecting existing public rights of way and incorporating the needs of walkers and wheelers, cyclists, horse riders etc.
Its members are volunteers representing different countryside interests including cycling, walking and wheeling, conservation, land management and horse riding.
The Forum meets four times a year, with meetings being open to the public - please contact cecaf@cheshireeast.gov.uk if you would be interested in attending.
It can set up sub-groups on particular issues to work outside these times and report back to the Forum. Recent work of the Forum has included:
- Publicity following the NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report 2024
- Submission to the Council’s consultation on the Local Plan Issues Paper
- Supporting the Lindow Moss Partnership project Heritage Lottery Fund application
Forum members are happy to attend meetings of local groups to explain more about the work of the Forum - please get in touch if this might be of interest to your group.
The Forum covers all of Cheshire East except for that part of the county inside the Peak District National Park - the National Park has its own forum. The Terms of Reference of the Forum (PDF, 145KB) can be downloaded for information.
Membership
Current membership of the Forum is as follows:
Table list of forum members
| Forum member | Areas of interest |
|---|
| Marian Andrews |
Disabled accessibility, walking |
| Alison Dale |
Accessibility, walking, conservation |
| Chris Driver |
Wildlife, conservation, planning |
| Terry Dykes |
Walking, cycling, running and wildlife conservation |
| John Handley - Vice Chair |
Land management, landscape interpretation |
| Cllr Chris Hilliard |
Ward Member for Wilmslow Lacey Green |
| John Matthews |
Walking, cycling, environment, conservation |
| Maurice Palin - Chair |
Walking, cycling, sustainable tourism, environmental issues |
| Laureen Roberts |
Accessibility, especially equestrian access |
| Gail Robinson |
Accessibility for all, walking, care and maintenance of the countryside |
| Richard Vickery |
Health improvement, local communities, walking |
| Helen Wainwright |
Land management, responsible footpath use |
| Ivor Williams |
Visitor and rural economy, land management |
| Martin Wood |
Accessibility, health improvement, cycling |
Annual reports
The most recent annual reports of the Forum can be viewed here:
Meeting agendas and minutes
- CECAF meeting agenda 26 September (PDF, 150KB)
- CECAF meeting notes 27 June 2024 (PDF, 180KB)
- CECAF meeting agenda 27 June 2024 (PDF, 190KB)
- CECAF meeting notes 21 March 2024 (PDF, 140KB)
- CECAF meeting agenda 21 March 2024 (PDF, 154KB)
- CECAF meeting notes 7 December 2023 (PDF, 162KB)
- CECAF meeting agenda 7 December 2023 (PDF, 112KB
- CECAF meeting notes 21 September 2023 (PDF, 151KB)
- CECAF meeting agenda 21 September 2023 (PDF, 150KB)
- CECAF Meeting Notes 15 June 2023 (PDF, 148KB)
- CECAF meeting agenda 15 June 2023 (PDF, 146KB)
- CECAF meeting notes 9 March 2023 (PDF, 140KB)
- CECAF meeting agenda 8 March 2023 (PDF, 157KB)
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Contact Cheshire East Countryside Access Forum (CECAF)
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Page last reviewed: 30 September 2024
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