The backlog in registering changes to public footpaths in Gloucestershire is so bad people have died waiting for their application to be dealt with, writes Carmelo Garcia.
The definitive map and statement is the legal record of public rights of way, showing all the routes where the public have the right to walk, ride, cycle and drive.
Each county has one and people can apply for a definitive map modification order (DMMO) to make changes to it.
But in Gloucestershire there were 168 undetermined definitive map modification orders and three outstanding town and village green applications as of March 31.
And people are finding it increasingly frustrating how long the process takes to deal with an application in the county. Some have been waiting decades.
The issue was raised at a recent Gloucestershire County Council meeting when residents and councillors asked council leaders what they will do to resolve the situation.
'I'm not going to live that long'
Stroud resident Chas Townley has calculated that he will be 120 years old by the time his application is dealt if they continue to be processed at the current rate.
He said during the meeting on May 18 that there had been unreasonable behaviour at the county council in not referring objected orders to the secretary of state in a timely manner.
“One of these applications is in Bisley parish which was first applied for by a landowner to downgrade a route 32 years ago.”
Speaking after the meeting, he said it was “grossly unfair” to not refer the DMMOs to the secretary of state to make a decision.
“They’ve been around for over 30 years. In two of those cases the woman in Upton St Leonards has since died.
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“And there are other cases where people have died or people involved with organisations that have applied have now moved on to do other things.
“By doing the maths, if they are only putting through four over a ten year period. For mine, which is 21 out of 33 in terms of their priority, that’ll mean I’ll be 120 before mine is dealt with.
“So there’s an injustice to people, I’m not going to live until I’m 120. There’s a real issue that the council does need to get its act together and refer them to the secretary of state in a much more speedy way than they are at the moment.”
Opposition councillor David Willingham (LD, St Marks and St Peters) asked during the meeting when the council planned to clear the backlog.
He said: “When do we plan to get to a state where people aren’t waiting years for a definitive map modification order to be processed?”
Cllr Vernon Smith (C, Tewkesbury East), who was the cabinet member responsible for highways at the time of the meeting, said extra resources were being allocated to help clear the backlog.
This will allow the council to recruit more staff.
He said: “Obviously we are concentrating on the first part of the process to forward to the committee dedicated orders for the committee to decide.
“We put in more resources in the budget in February for two additional officers.
“There will always be a backlog. What I do want to see, and what I’m trying to do working with officers, is to keep moving forward the relevant ones.”
Gloucestershire County Council did not respond to requests for comment.
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