25Local access forumsS
(1)Each local authority shall establish for its area a body, to be known as the “local access forum”, to carry out the functions set out in subsection (2) below.
(2)Those functions are—
(a)to advise the local authority and any other person or body consulting the forum on matters having to do with the exercise of access rights, the existence and delineation of rights of way or the drawing up and adoption of a plan for a system of core paths under sections 17 and 18 above;
(b)to offer and, where the offer is accepted, to give assistance to the parties to any dispute about—
(i)the exercise of access rights;
(ii)the existence and delineation of rights of way;
(iii)the drawing up and adoption of the plan referred to in paragraph (a) above; or
(iv)the use of core paths,
towards the resolution of the dispute.
(3)A local access forum consists of such persons as are appointed to it by the local authority.
(4)The matters to which the local authority have regard when making appointments to the local access forum shall include—
(a)ensuring reasonable representation in the forum of—
(i)bodies representative of persons with an interest in any of the matters mentioned in subsection (2)(b)(i) to (iv) above;
(ii)persons having such an interest;
(iii)bodies representative of the owners of land in respect of which access rights are exercisable or in which there is a core path; and
(iv)owners of such land, and
(b)ensuring a reasonable balance among those mentioned in sub-paragraphs (i) to (iv) of paragraph (a) above.
(5)The local authority may appoint one or more of its own members to a local access forum.
(6)More than one local access forum may be established for the area of a local authority.
(7)The local authority may pay to members of the local access forum such expenses and allowances as the local authority determine.
(8)Ministers may give guidance to local authorities to assist them in the performance of their functions under this section.