Local Access Forums (LAF) were established after the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 introduced a requirement for all Councils outside of London to set up a LAF. LAFs have been set up to advise the Council on preparing a Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan. Sandwell's LAF is administered by the Council's Governance Services and officers from the Public Rights of Way Team are observers and assist in servicing meetings. Further information, including meeting dates, past and present meeting minutes and reports, can be found by clicking on the following link: Council's CMIS webpages.

Expressions of Interest

Expressions of interest from potential new members of the Forum are now invited. There are currently vacancies for 'Users' of public rights of way, for owners and occupiers of access land, or land over which rights of way exist, and for representatives of 'other' areas of interest, such as Tourism/Heritage and Education.

The Forum meets about four times per year, usually at 4.30 p.m., at the Sandwell Council House, Oldbury.

For further details, please contact Bill King, Public Rights of Way Officer, on 0121 569 4008.

Access Land

Part I of the CROW Act introduced a new right of access for the public to enter and remain on any Access Land for the purposes of open-air recreation. The Conclusive Maps for this region were recently issued and the new right of access is set to commence in October 2005. Sandwell does not have any Access Land. More information on Access Land can be found on The Countryside Agency website.