Thoughts on the BCA AGM proposals

Badlad

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
In fact Jenny, you'll remember, with Bob, we wrote a guidance document on behalf of BCA C&A committee several years ago on section 26 and related matters.  It was accepted by council and I expect it is up on the web site somewhere but a quick search hasn't revealed where.  Any ideas?
 
Pete K

Pete K

Well-known member
It might be one of the appended items noted in the minutes of the C&A meeting 19/02/16 under section 6, although it is not included in the minutes on the website.
https://british-caving.org.uk/wiki3/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=conservation_access:canda_minutes_2016_02_19.pdf
 
Bob Mehew

Bob Mehew

Well-known member
I have emailed what I think is the document to Tim for him to check and use.  But broadly it is possible to control access even if CRoW applies.  There is even an example of where this has been used and caught a cave entrance. 

I would however issue a word of caution about SSSI status.  Bluntly if you carefully read what was called the PDO list, you will find it offers bugger all protection to most caves from cavers.  Indeed I won't name the individual but an officer of one RCC boasted about how the PDO list carried an exemption for recreational cavers!

And as a point of detail Section 25 is about banning access due to fire risk.  Sec 26 covers protection of both natural and heritage features. 

I don't have the time at this moment to comment on other points raised.
 
Badlad

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
Here is the link to the advice document prepared by me and Bob in 2016. 

https://www.british-caving.org.uk/wiki3/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=publications_information:bca_document_-_advice_to_access_controlling_bodies_on_crow_and_related_matters_bob_mehew_-_october_2016.pdf

 
J

Jenny P

Active member
Badlad said:
Here is the link to the advice document prepared by me and Bob in 2016. 

https://www.british-caving.org.uk/wiki3/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=publications_information:bca_document_-_advice_to_access_controlling_bodies_on_crow_and_related_matters_bob_mehew_-_october_2016.pdf
Click to expand...

Brilliant !  Many thanks Tim. 

I'd obviously misremembered some of the material from an earlier leaflet written by Bob which was handed out at Hidden Earth in, I think, 2014 or 2015.

Your advice document contains extremely sensible and useful information and the only part of it which has changed is that the conservation advice is now contained in the "Minimal Impact Caving Guidelines" which should be accessible, along with the other updated cave conservation documents, on the BCA website.
 
S

Stuart France

Active member
I would however issue a word of caution about SSSI status...

Sec 26 (of CROW) covers protection of both natural and heritage features.
Click to expand...

There's a problem with the SSSI bit.  SSSI status provides no statutory means to control access to land thus caves also.

There's another bigger problem.  In order for NE and NRW to protect caves via s.26 of the CROW Act they first have to accept that CROW applies to caves and caving which is something they will not concede willingly.  So s.26 is currently useless in a cave conservation context.

Incidentally, I asked NE in a Freedom of Information Request how many times they'd ever used s.26 (answer: about 100 when I asked this) and how many instances involved caves (answer: none at that time).  The same question put to NRW  less formally resulted in the answer zero/zero.

Off topic I know as this is properly about the BCA AGM but interesting anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top