New FC charges

[Glucosamine]

Cambridgeshire features the world conker champs (http://www.worldconkerchampionships.com/) just over the border at Ashton. About the only tree-based world champs we are likely to manage hereabouts ...

[greywolf]

There is no right in Scotland to charge for access ... One club member has pointed out that this is really a loophole in the Land Reform Act whereby admin charges can be used (and are being used) to deter access... Mounting a legal challenge would be outwith our resources so it seems that the best we can hope for is indeed reasonable charges.

You might be aware that the Scottish Government has recently announced a Land Reform Review Group with a wide ranging remit. Whilst most of the attention will probably be focussed on parts 2 & 3 of the Land Reform Act, there's no reason why SOA and others shouldn't be raising issues over part 1 (access rights).

Freefall: who are you meeting with? Simon Hodge or Alan Stevenson?

[Freefall]

Alan Stevenson and Fiona Murray (with support from Roger Scrutton who has already met Alan)

[graeme]

. Mounting a legal challenge would be outwith our resources

Nonsense.
It costs almost nothing to make a small claim in Scotland. Certainly more in time than money. All you need do is show that £50 far outweighs the cost of letting you pick up a key (or whatever) to establish the precedent.

[ryeland of doom]

I doubt deterring access is on the FC agenda - they want our money. We should not be paying excessive rates at all - even if this means loss of access to our forests. A blackmailer always comes back for more and these arbitrary charges will only go one way. There are also consequences for encouraging use of loopholes in the Land Reform Act for other activities - and here deterrence may be a motive.

re £50 per car - does this scupper on road parking within forests?

[frog]

I think it will make parking in areas like Tentsmuir expensive. I enquired about Pitmeddan as we're about to update the map. The main road through it has a vehicle right of we so we're OK but we were thinking of parking in the forestry road north of the map but that idea has been scrapped.

[mikey]

So are they charging £50 per car for car rallies?

[Freefall]

We had a positive and constructive meeting with the FCS and they have agreed to review the document so that any charges are seen as reasonable. Juniors have been taken out of the equation for numbers. It is hoped the extra charges such as £50 forest access can be removed or moderated. Do expect to pay for car parking, as per their usual and commonly applied charges e.g. £2 per car. The FCS has highlighted funding opportunities and ways to work together and would like some sort of Condordat between the two parties.

[frog]

I think charging £2 per car is reasonable as that is what you might pay at their public car parks, the £50 access fee seemed OTT. We have decided to refuse to pay it on principle for Dalguise and will just get more exercise putting out and collecting controls.
It sounds as though you are getting somewhere. Well done.
I think they have charged for the recent car rally, but apparently it cost £500 to enter the car rally, so an extra £50 wouldn't be noticed by them as much.

[andypat]

The FCS has highlighted funding opportunities and ways to work together and would like some sort of Condordat between the two parties.

I think STAG have a map of that area

[Big Jon]

The FCS has highlighted funding opportunities and ways to work together and would like some sort of Condordat between the two parties.

I think STAG have a map of that area

Yes, it's the one with 35 burnt out cars on it - hellish difficult to map as they change every weekend.

[graeme]

And it cost £1750 to get them there.

[AndyO]

I think they have charged for the recent car rally, but apparently it cost £500 to enter the car rally, so an extra £50 wouldn't be noticed by them as much.

I watched the car rally on tele at the weekend (if it was the same one) and the cars really rip up the forest roads, and I'm sure FCS would have significant remedial work to do to reinstate tracks. Orienteering use of forests has a much lighter footprint, and would expect to leave no damage to tracks, no litter, and no discernible impact on the forest floor - as studies have shown (Culbin, Forvie). A car parking charge of £2 per day seems reasonable where toilets are provided, but aside from that, FCS incurs no cost other than processing approval of the application for use for the event.

[Sunlit Forres]

The FCS has highlighted funding opportunities and ways to work together and would like some sort of Condordat between the two parties.

Sounds like your hard work is being rewarded Colin. As an example of this (and at the FC's request) I've agreed to stage orienteering as part of the FC's Easter Extravaganza at Roseisle on Sunday 31st March. Apparently they had 1700 people last year for a multi-activity day of outdoor fun.

This will mean we get publicity on their glossy brochures and I doubt we'll have to pay anything for permission! The orienteering will double up as Day 1 of "Mini Moray 2013" where there will be beginners O events each day at Roseisle (Sun/Wed), Culbin (Mon/Thur) and Lossie (Oakenhead Tue/Fri). To keep in the spirit of the 6 Days embargo, we will only be offering white, yellow and orange and regular orienteers are encouraged to only help out - not compete. It's a fiver a day or 18 quid for the whole 6 days. Turn up and do one, two or all 3 courses, and then repeat the process later in the week where the exact same courses will be on offer at the same venues.

This will form part of Moray Council's Easter activity programme which will be widely advertised. Outfit Moray and Ace Adventures are planning on joining with us to offer some other stuff eg surfing, windsurfing, MTBing etc.

I'd like to acknowledge the 6 Day Co's application of common sense in allowing this to happen. Hopefully it will attract a few more locals to the 6 Day event proper.

[Nimby]

I've noticed a couple of new forestry commission charges for our forthcoming event in Tayside. The FC rep asked me if I planned to have a caterer on their land, if so there is a charge of £50.

We've just been charged £30 + VAT for having a trader. That's by the New Forest Regional Office at Lyndhurst, so it seems to vary.