Agenda item

Joint report of the Remembrancer and Director of Open Spaces.

The Committee received a report of the Remembrance which set out a proposal for the establishment of an Epping Forest consultative committee, on the lines of the current consultative committees for Hampstead Heath and the various Commons. Members noted that the committee would provide an additional mechanism for consulting local interests about the management of the Forest.

Members noted that the proposal was that the following arrangements would apply:

a. The consultative committee would have a wide membership representing

as many local interests as possible, similar to the Hampstead Heath

Consultative Committee.

b. It would be chaired by the Chairman of this Committee.

c. Other members would include the four Verderers, one other member of

this Committee, and not less than16 individuals appointed to represent

particular interests.

d. Of the 16 (or such other greater number as the Committee determines),

two would represent local interests for the whole Forest, four would

represent local interests in the northern Forest parishes and four would

represent local interests in the southern Forest parishes.

e. Two members would be appointed to represent environmental or

ecological interests.

f. Two members would be appointed to represent recreational or sporting

interests.

g. Two members would be appointed to represent heritage or amenity

interests.

h. The consultative committee would meet at least three times a year.

Before appointing any member of the consultative committee, consultation would

be necessary with people or bodies appearing to represent the relevant interest

locally to see which groups should be included; including all groups would be

impracticable given that there are some 76 such groups. Members would

be able to appoint further members if it wished, and the consultative committee

would be able to co-opt external persons on an ad hoc basis to contribute its

discussions if it considered that a given interest was not adequately represented

among its membership or in relation to a particular project or initiative.

The Committee agreed that an in depth consultation with local groups and organisations was required to ensure that all groups were adequately represented on the Committee. Members noted that Local Parish Councils were not included to be represented and the Superintendent would investigate the ways in which this group could be included in the work of the Forest.

Resolved – that Members:

· Approved the principle of establishing a consultative committee for Epping

Forest.

· Agreed the proposals set out in this Report for the constitution and procedure

of the consultative committee as the basis for consultation.

· Instructed officers to undertake local consultation and produce proposals on the

membership of the consultative committee for this Committee’s consideration,

with a view to setting up the consultative committee later this year.