We criticise sinister Police Bill
Along with 250 other organisations, we have signed an open letter to the Home Secretary and Justice Secretary calling on government to rethink the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which has its second reading on 15 and 16 March, having been introduced to parliament only days before. The bill creates numerous new criminal offences,…
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No Convenience for Knowle Green
The high court has quashed an order stopping up public access to highway land at Knowle Green in the borough of Solihull. The order was made on our application. The land comprises the public conveniences and surrounding land on a traffic island at the junction of Station Road and the High Street in Knowle. The…
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Our new watchdog in the West Midlands
We have appointed Jack Jennings as our local correspondent for Sutton Coldfield and North Warwickshire. Jack will act for the society in keeping a close watch on paths, commons, greens and open spaces in his area and defending them from adverse change. Jack has lived in Sutton Coldfield for much of his life, and has…
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Statement on criminal trespass
We have joined with eight other organisations in a letter to the Home Secretary, condemning plans to make trespass a criminal offence. Our letter comes ahead of the publication of the government’s Police Powers and Protections Bill which will enact the Conservative Party’s manifesto commitment to ‘make intentional trespass a criminal offence’. The society has expressed…
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We back Vision for Planning 2021 launch
Our case office, Nicola Hodgson, has helped to craft this Vision for Planning document which was launched at an event on 14 January attended by the housing minister, Chris Pincher. Eighteen organisations representing housing, planning, transport, the environment, heritage and public health, came together to promote an alternative vision to the government’s Planning for the…
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Our new ‘eyes and ears’ for north Dorset
We have appointed Keith Yarwood as our local correspondent for north Dorset. Keith will be our eyes and ears, keeping a close watch on paths, commons, greens and open spaces in the former North Dorset District Council area. Keith is also vice-chair of Stourpaine Parish Council. He is familiar with checking the state of public…
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New correspondent for Barnet
We have appointed Peter Berrecloth as our local correspondent for Barnet. Peter is a keen walker, and has walked the length of both Wales and Scotland in winter, a total of 700 miles. He is currently working on a project to trace Barnet’s ancient drovers’ routes which would have been used to drive livestock from…
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Our new watchdog for Market Harborough
We have appointed Peter Pollak as local correspondent for Market Harborough District in Leicestershire. Peter will keep a close watch on paths, commons, greens and other open spaces in the area and will intervene when they are threatened. Peter was an Engineer Surveyor for the insurance business. During that time, he undertook surveys of local…
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Celebrating the CROW Act’s 20th birthday
Today, 30 November, we celebrate 20 years since the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act obtained royal assent. Part one of the Act was a great milestone in the history of the access movement, giving the public the right to walk responsibly on all registered common land and mapped mountain, moor, heath and down…
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