Natural Resources Wales tasked to assist development of access to land and water reform programme

Natural Resources Wales have held a series of workshops with stakeholders to explore Welsh Governments proposals for access reform. Stakeholders were invited to apply for a seat at the table for the six working groups, without any obligation to agree to the proposals set out.

The Countryside Alliance was successful in obtaining a seat at all six working groups and have continuously voice the concerns of the members. A briefing note produced by NRW can be accessed here.

The Countryside Alliance also sits on the working group set separately by Welsh Government to look at opportunities to increase access to water for canoeing. There are a limited number of stakeholders and interested parties on the group and progress is hoped to be made in the New Year.

In the meantime, the Deputy Minister who set out the proposals for reform Hannah Blythyn MS has been allocated another ministerial post leaving the Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths MS without a deputy and with an ever-increasing workload.