We are an independent advisory body working with Central Bedfordshire Council and Luton Borough Council to improve your enjoyment of Central Bedfordshire and Luton's countryside whilst safeguarding its future.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 required Highway Authorities to set up a Local Access Forum. Its members are local people with a balance of interests in the countryside, including recreational users, land managers and those with interests in nature conservation, heritage, business, health, transport and access for the less able.

The Forum consists of up to 22 members, all volunteers, giving their time and experience to improve countryside access for the future.

(PDF 426KB) 

Future meeting dates

• Wednesday 21st March 2012 from 7.00pm - 9.00pm at the Fire Station, Dunstable LU6 1AA
• Tuesday 8th May 2012 from 7.00pm - 9.00pm at Lower Stondon Golf Club

All of our meetings are open to members of the public who wish to listen; if you wish to speak at a meeting you must arrange to do this by contacting the forum secretary (tel: 0300 300 6112) no later than two working days before the meeting, stating the subject that you would like to speak on and why.

Agendas, minutes and related documents

21 March 2012 (Meeting 12)

• 21 March 2012 Agenda (PDF 239KB)

18 January 2012 (Meeting 11)

• 18 January 2012 Minutes (PDF 174KB)
• 18 January 2012 Agenda (PDF 219KB)
• 18 January 2012 CBC Outdoor Access Improvement Plan presentation (PDF 1.3MB)

14 November 2011 (Meeting 10)

• 14 November 2011 Minutes (PDF 179KB)
• 14 November 2011 Agenda (PDF 219KB)

13 September 2011 (Meeting 9)

• 13 September 2011 Minutes (PDF 192KB)
• 13 September 2011 Agenda (PDF 140KB)
• 13 September 2011 LBC Access barriers and bollards policy (PDF 217KB)

11 July 2011 (Meeting 8) 

• 11 July 2011 Minutes (PDF 697KB)
• 11 July 2011 Agenda (PDF 388KB)
• 11 July 2011 CBC OAIP flagship project ideas Item 5.2 (PDF 90KB)
• 11 July 2011 Community payback Item 5.3 (PDF 27KB)
• 11 July 2011 Community payback list Item 5.3 (PDF 6KB)

16 May 2011 (Meeting 7)

• 16 May 2011 Minutes (PDF 675KB)
• 16 May 2011 Agenda (PDF 253KB)
• 16 May 2011 Totternhoe vision plan map (PDF 2.1MB) 
• 16 May 2011 Totternhoe draft vision plan (PDF 154KB)
• 16 May 2011 Totternhoe vision plan consultation results (PDF 2.4MB)
• 16 May 2011 CBC Applications policy Item 6.2 (PDF 290KB)
• 16 May 2011 CBC Enforcement policy Item 6.3 (PDF 481KB)
• 16 May 2011 CBC Ploughing and cropping policy Item 6.4 (PDF 483KB)

23 March 2011 (Meeting 6)

• 23 March 2011 Minutes (PDF 177KB)
• 23 March 2011 Agenda (PDF 259KB)
• 23 March 2011 CBC Structures per parish Item 7.1 (PDF 12KB)
• 23 March 2011 CBC Excluded Area strategy Item 7.2 (PDF 716KB)

Who is your representative?

A list of forum members is given in alphabetical order with a short description of their interests. All members are giving up their own time as volunteers. If you require any further information or wish to contact a member of the forum, please contact the forum secretary: 0300 300 6112.

Council representatives

• Central Bedfordshire Council - Councillor Mrs Angela Barker 
• Luton Borough Council - Councillor Dave Taylor 
• Chilterns Conservation Board - Marion Mustoe

Current Forum members (name/interests) 

• Jon Balaam - Sport and Health
• Cllr Mrs Angela Barker - Appointing Authority Member (Central Bedfordshire Council) 
• Steve Bumstead - Land Owning and Managing (Chair) 
• Tom Chevalier - Dog Walking
• Julian Clark-Lowes - Walking 
• Andy Gerrard - Motorised Users
• Brian Golby - Conservation
• Pauline Hey - Voluntary Sector
• Jason Jordan - Land Owning and Managing
• Angela Kirby - Walking
• Andy Knight - Cycling 
• Marion Mustoe - Chilterns Conservation Board
• Andrew Pym - Land Owning and Managing
• Gillian Sharp - Ethnic Minorities
• David Simkins - Land Owning and Managing 
• John Tyler - Countryside Sites and Disability Impaired People
• Tony Welch - Walking and Cycling
• Rosalyn Whisker - Equestrian
• Cllr Dave Taylor - Appointing Authority Member (Luton Borough Council)

Please see the links below for the JLAF annual reviews:

Annual review 2010-2011
(PDF 1MB)

Annual review 2009-2010 (PDF 6.8MB)

We are currently looking to recruit new members who either 

- live in, or have an interest in the Luton area
- are young people or represent the views of young people
- are land owners/land managers
- run a rural business or have an interest in tourism in the local area

Information and an application form can be found below:

JLAF Application form (PDF 33KB)

For further details, please contact the Local Access Forum secretary: 0300 300 6112. We look forward to hearing from you.

Applicants will be expected to undertake all the duties given below.

Members should:

• Be resident in or have definable interests in Central Bedfordshire or Luton.
• Be representative of access land, rights of way users, owners or occupiers of land, or other related interests especially relevant to Central Bedfordshire or Luton.
• Provide an independent view, rather than reflect the views of any particular organisations.
• Pursue opportunities to publicise the work of the forum and obtain feedback through newsletters or other means, within that member's own organisation(s) and also others with similar interests active within the area covered by the forum
• Be expected to attend all meetings (6 meetings a year anticipated), but must also attend a minimum of three meetings a year; deputies will be allowed at no more than one meeting per year with prior agreement from the Chairman via the JLAF secretary
• Be willing to serve on the forum for an initial period of between one and three years (term may be extended if acceptable to the appointing authorities and the member concerned)
• Allow their name, picture and interest categories to be available to members of the public and other interested parties publicly including the forum website.
• Take a full interactive part in the forum and any sub groups which may be established.
• Regularly check emails and respond where required in a timely fashion.

NB: Applications should also note the information on 'Information for applicants

Most of the forums meetings are open to the public and we would be glad to see you there. However, there are a few 'ground rules' so that people know what they should and shouldn't be doing-

All public meetings will be advertised in advance on the 'Local Access Forum' section of the Central Bedfordshire Council and Luton Borough Council websites: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/LocalAccessForum and www.luton.gov.uk

Agendas, papers and minutes of the meeting will be available to the public on the Central Bedfordshire Council and Luton Borough Council websites as above and at our Bedford and Luton Offices normally at least three days before meetings.

• The meetings of the forum will be open public meetings and held in venues that are accessible for all. However, the forums chair will be able to exclude people in order to suppress or prevent disorderly conduct or other misbehaviour.
• Members of the public can speak during meetings provided that they have given 2 working days notice to the forum secretary. Speaking will normally be limited to 5 minutes on an item relating to the published agenda. The Chair may reduce this time limit because of the length of the agenda or the number of people wanting to speak.
• A form should be submitted and signed by the person wishing to speak and give full details of the matter to be raised, including details of any questions that will be asked. It should also indicate if the notice is on behalf of a group or delegation. Name, full postal address, telephone number and email if available, must be given. Correspondence sent via email will be classed as a signed letter.
• In addition an open Question and Answers session will be held at each meeting, normally for fifteen minutes, where members of the public may ask direct questions on any subject related to the work of the forum. Questions to be submitted on a pro forma during the meeting. The Chair may reduce or increase this time limit with regard to the number of people wanting to speak.
• When speaking it is necessary to keep to the subject, avoid defamatory, offensive or abusive language, and keep to time.
• The Chairs decision shall be final on all matters relating to public participation in forum meetings.