From: Pete Ansbro, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> The PCouncil posts notices of next meeting with an outline agenda. Is held
> in village hall and public can sit in on meeting. Commenting is only "iffy"
> part, OK sometimes during meeting, but, has following comments to them,
> offered a 10 minute "open" talk time for village comment at start of
> meeting. Good, except that the detail of what the PCouncil are going to
> actually talk about in detail, doesn't come out until the meeting in
> progress!!
Okay. Except that it's reasonable to expect that the Agenda describes honestly
the matters to be discussed - so listing "Rights of Way" in the agenda when the
true intention might be to discuss "Complaint re shooting adjacent to footpath
N" could be construed as deliberately misleading and thereby cause for
complaint.
>
> Think key part is the claim of "confidential" element of letters sent to the
> PCouncil.
>
> Any way I can get to see that??
You should question to what the need for confidentiality relates. Your best
approach is to tackle the matter under complaint rather than the person making
the complaint. The person writing the letter might well be entitled to have
their identity withheld, but in order for the PC to investigate the complaint,
those involved have every right to know what they're being accused of. A
verbatim transcript of the letter without revealing the writer's identity, but
including the date of the letter is not an unreasonable request for those
involved.
The Parish Council is unlikely to have any jurisdiction over the footpath unless
it crosses Parish Council land - in which case normal rules re general trespass,
right of access to recover shot game, fallen fruit etc. apply. In general terms
Parish Councils are pretty toothless and vary from competent to less than. I
doubt they might be able to do more than note the concern of the complainant and
forward their letter to the appropriate authorities - in this case the Highway
Authority (County level) and the land owner on whose land the shooting was
taking place.
You could contact the County Council Rights of Way team yourself and without the
need to declare any local connection seek their views & advice on shooting in
the vicinity of rights of way, crossing rights of way to recover game etc. The
approach that you wish to be properly informed of your responsibilities
(whatever they might be) should be welcomed by them and demonstrate a
professional approach.
Pete
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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