Terms of appointment

Appointing body

Norfolk County Council is the appointing body to the Norfolk Local Access Forum and organises the recruitment and appointment of members (see Section 6 of Guidance on Local Access Forums in England - revised guidance 2007).

Membership of the Norfolk Local Access Forum

The Forum comprises at least ten and not more than 22 representatives appointed by Norfolk County Council. Under 3(5) of the Regulation, membership of the Forum is representative of the following groups (applies to all members):

Users of local rights of way or open access land (eg, walkers, horse riders, cyclists and carriage drivers)
Owners and occupiers of access land or land over which local rights of way subsist; or
Any other interests especially relevant to Norfolk

Under 3(4) of the Regulation, the maximum number of members who may also be members of a district council or Norfolk County Council or the Broads Authority is three, as long as the Forum consists of no fewer than 17 members (falling to two if the Forum consists of not more than 16 members).

A reasonable balance of interests will be represented to avoid dominance by any single interest group and to encourage cross-sectional interest that will include a broad range of experience and interests in recreational use of the countryside, land management and other relevant interests (tourism; nature or landscape conservation; coastal issues; education; heritage; local transport; enterprise and economy; health; disabled people; young people; older people; ethnic and low income groups).

Members will act in an individual capacity rather than as a representative of a particular organisation
Members should disclose any personal interests in any matter to be discussed
Members are expected to support the positive purpose of the Forum and to work constructively with other members
Members must be willing to commit time to attend meetings, training and to contribute to outputs and awareness-raising of the Forum's work
Members must be prepared to feed in information from their area of interest in a proactive way during meetings
Members should have good knowledge of Norfolk's countryside assets and challenges and sound knowledge of their specified interests and wider context of countryside access

Terms of appointment

Members are appointed for three years. Vacancies arising from any resignations will be appointed to on a rolling basis
Membership of the Forum is reviewed by Norfolk County Council every 3 years to ensure it remains relevant to the county's needs
Members may have their appointments terminated by Norfolk County Council because of prolonged unauthorised absences from meetings for a period of one year, or for failing to declare a direct or indirect interest in a matter brought up for consideration by the Forum. Removal of members by Norfolk County Council will be made in consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair and secretary
Members will give one month's notice in writing to Norfolk County Council should they wish to resign from the Forum
Appointments must be terminated if the member becomes a member of a district or county council or National Park authority and the relevant limit on such members is exceeded

Recruitment

Norfolk County Council recruits to the Norfolk Local Access Forum as terms of appointment come to an end.

Norfolk County Council advertises all Forum vacancies (with the exception of the appointment of those persons who are members of a district or county council or National Park authority), encouraging applicants from a diversity of backgrounds in line with the Council's equality, diversity and inclusion policy.

Selection criteria

A selection panel comprising representatives from Norfolk County Council's Environment Team and the current Norfolk Local Access Forum Chair and Vicechair reviews the applications for membership of the Forum, assessing the suitability of candidates on the basis of their experience and interest in outdoor access and their ability to make an informed and constructive contribution to improving access provision in Norfolk. The Chair and Vicechair will step away from the meeting when their own applications are under consideration.

The panel then makes recommendations on the appointments to the Council Committee with delegated authority to make the appointments (e.g. the NCC Infrastructure and Development Committee).

Supplementary skill areas of benefit to Pathmakers (the Norfolk Local Access Forum's charity) including leadership, financial management, fund-raising, communications and advocacy may be taken into account during selection of members.

A timeline for current recruitment will be published:

Date 1

Application process opens (plus refreshment of current members). Advertisement placed in local paper, promotion by current Norfolk Local Access Forum/Pathmakers/Norfolk Trails, etc.

Date 2 (two months after date 1)

Deadline for receipt of applications.

Date 3

Assessment and scoring of applications. Selection panel meets to agree recommendations to the appointing committee. Recommendations sent to appointing committee.

Date 4

Appointing committee meeting. Appointments approved.

Date 5

Successful applicants notified and invited to the Norfolk Local Access Forum.