Paul Barton, ARC
Newsletter Editor,
26 Summerhill Grange, Summerhill Lane,
Lindfield,
Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1RQ
home@ukgateway.net
ARC Secretary: Caroline Flanders, tel/fax:
01689 878105
|
Each edition of ARC NEWS can
be found on the ARC website www.the-arc.co.uk If you
wish to subscribe to receive a copy by e-mail please
log on to arcnews@tesco.net
CHAIRMANS
CHAT
It is encouraging to see that there have been no
new outbreaks of Foot and Mouth disease reported
within the last few days. Hopefully the battle
against this dreadful virus has finally been won. The
voluntary restraint shown by our member clubs on
"Off Road" and "Green Lane"
activities over the past months has been
acknowledged, by farmers and others in the rural
community, as the understanding action of a
responsible Association.
I would like to thank all of you for your effort
in having assisted with this policy of restraint.
Although the number of daily outbreaks of FMD is
in rapid decline we must still be aware of the risks
of spreading this virulent disease. I appreciate your
wish to return to your beloved pastimes of Off Road
Motor Sport or Green Laning but these activities must
be resumed with extreme caution and due care for the
restrictions that still apply.
The ARC Council recommends that risk assessments
should continue to be carried out by Club Competition
secretaries before proceeding with any Off Road event.
We further appeal to those members who live or work
in areas that are still classified as Infected Areas
to continue to refrain from Off Road Activities until
their area is declared free of the disease. Your
perseverance is recognised as essential to
maintaining the responsible attitude that has been
displayed by our clubs and their members throughout
this outbreak.
Denis Bourne A.R.C. Chairman.
LAND ROVER
NEWS
Land Rover has announced changes to the vehicle
range for 2002 including central locking and one key
for the ignition and doors on Defender! There is a
new Discovery HSE model with different grille and
other changes plus major enhancements to Freelander
ready for the USA launch in 2002. As always see your
local franchised Dealer for details.
COUNTRYSIDE
RIGHTS OF WAY WORKSHOP
A.R.C. is supporting a CROW workshop to be run by
LARA at Uckfield in East Sussex on 10th November.
Tony Kempster A.R.C.'s ROW representative is taking
bookings - details and booking slip in this
Newsletter.
CLUB EVENTS
AND THE CROW ACT
A provision contained in the new Countryside and
Rights of Way Act 2000 gives the public a 'right to
roam' on foot at any time on access land and on land
over 600m [1968ft). Access land includes areas which
are wholly or predominately mountain, moor, heath or
down and registered common land. There are also
provisions for landowners to dedicate any land they
wish as access land and for the definition to be
widened to include the foreshore and adjacent land.
Mountain, moor, heath and down does not include
improved or semi-improved grassland but these terms
do not appear to be defined in the Act.
All access land will eventually be shown on maps
prepared by the Countryside Agency [in Wales, by the
Countryside Council for Wales). Following
consideration of representations, maps will be issued
in provisional form and, subject to appeal, they will
become conclusive maps. It could be four or five
years before conclusive maps are published but clubs
should now be considering the likely affects on their
activities.
Access land will not come into being and the
public will not be able to exercise their new right
until the conclusive maps have been published but
that is when problems will arise for clubs. This is
because although the landowner will be able to close
access land to the public for up to 28 days each
year, none of these will include public holidays or
more than 4 days which are a Saturday or Sunday, and
even then, not during the summer months. There a
provision however for a longer period of closure if
consent is given by the relevant agency.
If access land is not closed to the public, there
will be a need for marshals to act on behalf of the
landowner to prevent members of the public
interfering with the running of an event.
Both LARA and the MSA consider that the new Act
will therefore seriously affect club events in the
future. The September EGM agreed that all clubs
should consider the possible implications for their
events. It is recommended that a specific agenda item
be included in the December EGM with a LARA
presentation to highlight the threat to grass roots
motor sport.
Clubs should inform the ARC Secretary ASAP that
they will have a representative at the December EGM
for such an important presentation.
Finally, the ceasing of Sport England funding in
2004, will result in financial constraints for LARA.
The September EGM considered that clubs should
indicate what they consider to be LARA's most valued
work and whether the benefits of continued membership
are justified for the foreseeable future.
Tony Kempster Countryside Access Officer
FORTHCOMING
A.R.C. CLUB EVENTS
SOMERSET & WILTS
MENDIP CHALLENGE 2001 - 13th/14th October 2001
Somerset & Wilts ROC cordially invite all A.R.C.
affiliated clubs to join us at West Harptree, located
in the Mendip Hills, Nr, Cheddar, Somerset for a Road
Taxed Vehicle Trial on Saturday 13th October and a
Cross Country Vehicle Trail on 14th October.
Scrutineering from 12.00 pm to 5.00 pm on Friday.
Trials limited to 100 vehicles. Camping available
from Friday 12th October @£5 per unit per night.
Booking forms from John Donovan, Competition
secretary, 7 Campion Close, Thornbury, Bristol, BS12
1UF.
A.R.C. 2002
International Rally
Cornwall and Devon Land Rover Club have confirmed
dates for the competitive elements of the event as
Saturday 1st, Sunday 2nd & Monday 3rd June 2002.
Details of follow on rally and arrangements for
Friday 31st May will follow in due course.
COPING WITH THE CROW
ACT 2000
TO: All recreation groups/clubs/individuals who
are 'stakeholders' in the use of the countryside.
The new Countryside Act includes provision for the
so-called 'right to roam' for walkers, changes to
rights of way legislation and the setting up of local
access forums. LARA is currently running a series of
Training Workshops across the country to help
countryside users and volunteers get to grips with
the implications of this new legislation.
Dates and venues of all Workshops are available
from LARA HQ. (PO Box 20, Market Drayton, Shropshire
TF9 1WR Tel: 01630 657627 - e Mail: timLARA@aol.com).
The Workshop presentations are open to LARA member
groups and subscribers, non-motoring countryside
users, local authority staff and councillors. If
you're interested in finding out how the CROW Act
will affect your events in the countryside or your
use of rights of way in the future and how you can
try to safeguard your interests, you should attend
one of these sessions.
You are cordially invited to the LARA Training
Workshop on Saturday 10"' November 2001 at
Uckfield in East Sussex. The Association of Rover
Clubs, which is a member of LARA, has kindly agreed
to co-ordinate this particular Workshop on behalf of
LARA. Venue details will be sent on receipt of your
application and payment. The Workshop will start at
10.00am and finish at about 4.30pm.
The modest attendance fee is £20, with a
discounted rate of £15 for LARA members, and this
includes Workshop papers, lunch and refreshments.
We look forward to seeing you there! Further
information is available from Tony Kempster on 01797
252371.
Tear along dotted line -
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LARA TRAINING WORKSHOP - COPING WITH THE CROW ACT
2000 SATURDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2001 AT UCKFIELD, EAST
SUSSEX
N A M E ........................................
TITLE......................................................................................................
ADDRESS........................................................................................................................................................
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POST CODE ............. TELEPHONE
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Name of LARA Group/Club/Subscriber ...............
Other.........................................................................
Send cheques only please, payable to Association
of Rover Clubs, with your application to: T Kempster
[ARC], Knelle Hill Lodge, Beckley, Rye TN31 6UD
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A.R.C.
CALENDAR FOR 2002
No doubt individual clubs will be hoping to
finalise club calendars and interclub dates for 2002
Please would all club secretaries e-mail dates for
next year so that they can be included in A.R.C. News
Many thanks Paul Barton Editor A.R.C. News
IMPORTANT - Participation at
any competitive event or show is at your own risk or
that of the organisers. Although the A.R.C. is happy
to publicise such events it does not act as an agent
for the organisers. Statements or opinions expressed
in A.R.C. News are not necessarily those of the A.R.C.
Council. You are advised to obtain independent advice
on matters involving safety, finance or legislation.
This Newsletter is compiled
and edited by Paul Barton, ARC Newsletter Editor, for
the Association of Rover Clubs Contact Editor at 26
Summerhill Grange, Summerhill Lane, Lindfield,
Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1RQ e-mail:
PaulBarton.home@ukgateway.net
ARC Secretary: Caroline
Flanders, 124 Crescent Drive, Petts Wood, Orpington,
Kent. BR5 1BE. Telephone: 01689 878105 e-mail:
arcsec@ledburn253.freeserve.co.uk.
Association of Rover Clubs
Ltd. Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No.
1806788 Registered Office, 124 Crescent Drive, Petts
Wood, Orpington, Kent, BR5 1BE
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