Fulbrook Parish Council Meeting 22nd May
Cotswold National Landscape (CNL) Footpath Warden Report – May 2025
Updates from previous report (February) :
Footpath 1 (St James House to St James churchyard) – reported as ‘not open’ in June 2023 by a member of the public & a review of the designated right of way to be carried out by OCC. Property owners of St James’s House received letter from OCC instructing resolution. As warden I have had a discussion with the owners of StJames’s House, OCC Access Manager, Katie Walther, & I have raised the issue with the CNL Area Supervisor, Clare Armstrong on the basis that
a) there is a doubt raised by the owner about who owns the wall between the Churchyard,
b) the Church, who host half of the questionable path, & may have a view about the footpath crossing graves, has not been notified by OCC & any obligation may rest with them or be shared with St James’s House,
c) there hasn’t been an obvious route with many walkers diverting down down Dolphin Lane. OCC have subsequently. I had previously recommended a diversion
I have informed the owner that the following Options for Diversion ()are;
Public Path Order (PPO):
◦ A PPO is the legal process for making changes to public rights of way, including diversions. The local authority, Oxfordshire County Council, has the power to make a PPO
Landowner’s Application for Diversion:
◦ If you are a landowner seeking to divert a right of way across your land, you need to apply to the local authority, WHO will assess your application and may require additional information or surveys.
The matter is ongoing
Footpath 6 (relates to the footpath, previously reported in September, behind the Carpenters Arms)/ tree now pollarded .Reinstatement of the footpath & stabilisation of the pond (which has now dried up) were going to take place in Spring, this has not happened & the Access Manager visited in April following my request. Reminder has been sent to the lead owner – Ongoing
Footpath 7 (relates to the path from A361 Shipton Road towards Widley Copse. – There have been three reports submitted over the last there most
• in February March there was an area badly affected by water, a request was made to ‘bridge’
the boggy area to avoid the footpath being diverted
• An issue was raised at the Parish Council meeting about the route diagonally across the field. A directional sign had been necessary to avoid walker walking around the perimeter which was said to be protected and had a sign from DEFRA removed. OCC said reported the latter was not the case. The route currently is clear, to find. Will be monitored as crops grow.
• More recently the gate adjacent to the A361 has collapsed and no longer in use. This was reported on 19th May & OCC are showing it as resolved on 21st My. I have queried this as the gate is exactly in the same state on 21st as when reported. Ongoing
There are not further reports although the next few month will require regularly maintenance to cut back vegetation growth