Minutes of the meeting of the FOOTPATHS SUB COMMITTEE held at 7pm on Tuesday 9 October 2008 at The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett.

Present:

• Councillor D. Lambert (Chairman)
• Councillor Mrs Balen
• Councillor C Wilkins

Co-opted Members:

• Mr David Bagon
• Mr Brian Hyde
• Mr Geoffrey Smyth

Officer:

• Mrs Jan Adams, Deputy Clerk
• Ms Dawn Grocock, HCC

 

1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
   
   Councillor D Lambert was elected to chair the meeting.
   
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
   
   Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R. Worthy and Mr Fred Hills, Head of Grounds Maintenance
   
3. TO CONFIRM AND SIGN THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18 JULY 2007
   
   3.1. Amendment for item 4.1 - It was agreed that the criticism of HCC for the state of footpaths was a little harsh.
   
   The minutes of the meeting held on 18 July 2007 were signed as a true and accurate record.
   
4. MATTERS ARISING FORM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18 July 2007
   
   4.1 Landowners Consent - The stile on Footpath 33 r/o The Chapel, Aldenham School had been broken for over a year. The matter was reported to Dawn Grocock. David Bagon would also check the state of the stile when next in the area. (Action: Dawn Grocock and David Bagon)
   
   4.2 Overflowing drain at Letchmore Heath - The overflowing foul water drain running from the edge of the pond in Letchmore Heath had now been fixed. (Action: Councillor Lambert and Dawn Grocock)
   
   4.3 Routes - Councillor Lambert would speak with Ray Strickland, Estate Manager to Lord Aldenham regarding the actual footpath routes and the definitive routes.
   
5. MEETINGS HELD ON 26 JULY AND 6 OCTOBER 2007
   
   5.1. 26 July 2007 - Geoffrey Smyth reported that he had attended a meeting addressed by Liz Drake from Hertsmere Borough Council. Geoffrey had reported on a very narrow briefing with an emphasis on the general use of footpaths and bridlepaths in the area.
   
   5.2. Local Access Forum, 6 October 2007 - The meeting was attended by Councillor Wilkins and David Bagon.
   
6. UPDATE REPORT BY DAWN GROCOCK
   
   6.1. Mowing Schedule - The mowing schedule operated twice a year i.e. May/June and August/October. It covered surface vegetation and nettles/overgrowth either side of footpaths. Each path should be 1.5m wide. Farmers should restore footpaths that have ploughed within 14 days. Any problems areas should be reported to Dawn Grocock.
   
   6.2. Footpath 31a - Current issues concerning Footpath 31a were in the hands of the Enforcement Officer, Symon Gaughan.
   
   6.3. Circulation List - Dawn offered to add the Radlett Society and Green Belt Association to her list of distributors when circulating updates of the footpaths present position.
   
7. P3 GRANTS
   
   The meeting was informed that Aldenham Parish Council would not applying for a P3 grant for 2007/2008.
   
8. OTHER FOOTPATH MATTERS
   
   8.1. Pathway from Letchmore Road to The Pathway - Geoffrey Smyth asked if it were possible to have this footpath lit at night. Dawn Grocock replied that it was a matter for Steve Gregory in the Highways Department.
   
   8.2. Footpath crossing Elstree Aerodrome Runway - It was reported that there was presently no signage on the footpath. It was agreed that use of the footpath should not be encouraged from a safety aspect as it crossed the runway and also the footpath came to a halt at the entrance to a hangar.
   
   8.3. Waymarks - It was felt that a number of footpaths required waymarking. Dawn Grocock responded that Hertfordshire County Council relied on Parish Council staff and volunteer groups to help with that work. Dawn was able to supply waymarks.
   
   8.4. Footpath Maps - There were currently no footpaths maps left in stock. The Radlett Society and Green Belt Association were considering a re-run. A copy of the 2005 Definitive Map was available in the library.
   
   8.5. Asbestos Litter - The meeting was informed that when dealing with asbestos litter the matter should be referred to Hertsmere Borough Council.
   
9. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
   
   The next meeting would be held on 8 April 2008.

Closure 8.35pm.

Attachments for Committee Members only:

1. Updated report from Dawn Grocock, HCC dated October 2007 - Appendix 1

2. Report on Condition of Footpaths from Geoffrey Smyth dated October 2007 - Appendix 2

 

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Appendix 1: Update on My Work in Aldenham Parish

Path	Status	Problem	Current Action
005	BR	New signs needed	On order
005	BR	Surface	Possible surfacing work with 5106 money
012	FP	Stiles	Dealing with
012	FP	Liley Pond Bridge	Wobbly awaiting survey
014	FP	Ploughing	No action at present
016	FP	New tee near FP and leaning tree	Contacted golf course and will monitor
016	FP	Damage to surface	Spoke with Golf Course and they will rectify
020	RB	Obstructions	Discussing with Team Leader
022	BR	Flooding under M1	Discussing with Highways Agency and HCC Rural Estates Unit
022	RB	(Crab lane) Surface	Quotes obtained for surfacing work and scrub clearance needed
031a	FP	Wobbly Stile	Two letters sent to landowner, will past to legal team shortly
033	FP	Broken stiles and signs	Still trying to get in 6ontact with school regarding delivery of kissing gates (which they are paying for), so they can replace the broken stiles
034	FP	Broken stile	Resolved - replaced with kissing gate by landowner
036 and 037	FP	Broken stiles and clearance	Clearance work has taken place. Spoke with tenant farmer will discuss stiles and route of FP with landowner
038	FP	Surface	Problem not found
039	FP	Broken stile	Kissing gate installed - Landowner following up insurance due to crash
041	FP	Broken stile	No action at present
042	FP	Stile	Changed to kissing gate
042	FP	Broken Stile	Contacted owners — shall be removing
044	FP	Fence falling over	No action at present
046	FP	Ivy hanging off trees	No action at present
046	FP	Needs steps	Have price for steps
047	FP	Signs in wrong place and bushes obstructing signs	No action at present
051	FP	Broken stile Watling St	Written to landowner — he removed stile
051	FP	Gates near golf club house	Discussing with golf course
051	FP	Stiles Horse field	Discussing upgrade
055	FP	Stile	Removal requested — will speak with landowner
058	FP	Surface	Maybe upgraded to Greenway, so horses and cyclists can use with money from Hospital redevelopment
060 and 061	FP	Broken cycle barriers and mud on FP	Mud from houses’ building works, discussing with house owner
065	FP	Broken bridge	Work carried out
069	FP	Trees and bushes overhanging	No action at present
071	BR	Surface	Meeting with contractor to price work in a weeks time to price minor surface levelling
079	BOAT	Stiles, bridge and clearance work required	Stiles removed, bridge survey carried out and changes made so horses and cyclists can use. Clearance work taken place at Theobald Street end and bridge over stream installed. Drainage work carried out under railway bridge. Surfacing work else where on route quoted for.
001 and 002	UUCR	Surface on entrance points to river	Work has been quoted for and approved by EA. Water vole survey carried out and work will start soon.

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APPENDIX 2: Footpath Report
Report on Condition of Public Footpaths within Aldenham Parish as at 4 October 2007

• Footpaths 56, 57, 6 & 69 not yet inspected.
• Other footpaths within Parish inspected. Where such footpaths not mentioned below they are reported as being in satisfactory condition.
• * indicates that problem as been referred to in previous reports.
• Some items referred to in reports several months ago. They may have been rectified

 

Footpath Number	Comments
2 *	Line of footpath has disappeared.
3 *	Junction with Munden driveway. Broken sign. Bricket Wood. Collapsed stile. No sign. North of driveway. Line of PP has disappeared.
4	Apparent narrowing of FP. Encroachment by adjoining owner?
5	Path across Oakridge Lane has locked gates. Rubble dumped on path.
8 *	Airfield runway. No FP signs. Harmshall Cottage has no public right of way Sign & appears to block route to airfield.
9 *	PP sign south of FP 20 points to hedge. PP sign pointing to Radlett missing. FP heavily overgrown.
10	Spur from FP20 very muddy. Stepping stones at River Ver under water. Junction with FP 12 confusing.
12 *	Stile at boundary of playing field broken. Line of FP across ploughed field not reinstated. Road to Wall Hall. Broken FP sign.
17	No FP signs between field occupied by cows and corn field.
18	Junction with road A5183. FP sign obscured by foliage. FP sign on pole hidden by tree. 2nd stile on entering lily pond field has wobbly top step & arrow sign broken. Section near railway line. Fallen tree with branch at head height across FP.
20	No waymark signs indicating FP.
23	Broken stile at junction with FP20.
31A	FP sign removed. Dogs loose & dangerous on FP.
40 *	(From Watling Street) waymark at small bridge difficult to see. Next bridge partly collapsed & waymark on ground. Junction with FP32. Collapsed stile. Path to stile & bridge under power lines overgrown & no visible waymarks. FP after bridge blocked by undergrowth.
41	FP overgrown in sections. Two stiles broken.
42 *	Waymark at junction with FP40 not visible. Stile has barbed wire fixed to it. Waymark sign through hedge obscured. Bridge at junction with FP43 overgrown. Waymark sign close to Slade Farm leaning.
43 *	At bridge. Unclear which waymark is FP43. Exit to Aldenham Road overgrown. FP sign & waymark from road covered by vegetation.
44	Stile at Butterfly Lane broken. No FP track across field. Junction with Road A5. Stile collapsed.
45	FP sign at entrance from Watling Street barely visible. No numbered waymarks. Junction with FP63. FP overgrown.
46	Steep & slippery. Provide handrail. Junction with FP47. Sign missing.
47	Rubber hosing deposited on FP.
50 *	No waymarks.
51 *	Junction with Butterfly Lane. Stile broken. FP sign missing. FP blocked by electric fence.
54	Fallen tree blocking FP. FP sign at Theobald Road entrance defaced.
55	Muddy at top of hill where FP has not been resurfaced.
57	Urban. Very dark at night between Letchmore Road & Woodfield Road. Install street light.
58 *	Entrance from The Warren. Wide gap enabling horse riders to use FP.
64	Branches broken & blocking FP. Overgrown with nettles.
65 *	Junction with FP64/19. Directions missing. At junction with FP22. Flooding.
66 *	Litter. Graffiti on underpass.
67 *	Batlers Green entrance. Asbestos litter.
71	FP sign on telegraph pole at Loom Lane is faded.
75	No waymarks.