Stuart France
Active member
Breaking news. Funding is going to be cut and delivery of the Welsh access reform programme has got difficult. This is the scheme from which caving was excluded which in turn provoked the BCA's CROW judicial review case. Access issues in Wales are going to get really embarrassing and possibly 'game over' for the WG if the Labour Party brings its new Right to Roam Act into effect in England after winning the next general election which will have the effect of extending CROW rights in England.
The WG staff allocated to delivering access reforms are Simon Pickering, the lead civil servant, supported by 3 other staff working on Landscapes and 3 more on Access. That's the sum total. Their little department is facing a £300K cut from its revenue budget, and are currently said to be working out what this implies other than that everything is now on hold.
In these circumstances, it would seem best for BCA (and other representative bodies like climbing and cycling) to engage with Labour in England so as to drive the Welsh agenda forwards by virtue of England setting an example and raising its game. So is anything happening?
The WG staff allocated to delivering access reforms are Simon Pickering, the lead civil servant, supported by 3 other staff working on Landscapes and 3 more on Access. That's the sum total. Their little department is facing a £300K cut from its revenue budget, and are currently said to be working out what this implies other than that everything is now on hold.
In these circumstances, it would seem best for BCA (and other representative bodies like climbing and cycling) to engage with Labour in England so as to drive the Welsh agenda forwards by virtue of England setting an example and raising its game. So is anything happening?
