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Scottish Outdoor Access Code:
SNH publishes their comments on consultation responses plus a revised
draft Access Code
Editorial
Filed 23 Dec 03
© www.land-care.org.uk
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have put
the agenda and papers of their recent Main Board Meeting on their
website, www.snh.org.uk
Papers relating to the consideration of the Draft
Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) can be accessed using
http://www.snh.org.uk/board/detail.asp?id=183
They include:
Submission: Submission of proposed SOAC
and supporting reports to Scottish Ministers
Annex 1: The process of consultation and
analysis of representations on the draft SOAC
Annex 2A: Draft concluding statements
drawn from the analysis of representations made on the consultation
draft of the SOAC
Annex 2B: Example of report 2 presentation
for general question 3 and question 8: Conclusions drawn from the
analysis of representations made on the draft SOAC
Annex 3: Implementation of the access legislation:
issues raised during the consultation on the draft SOAC
Annex 4: Revised Draft Scottish Outdoor
Access Code (SOAC) dated 5th December 2003
Land-Care will comment shortly on the above, having
previously read a substantial number of the written submissions
to SNH in response to the Consultation they invited on the draft
SOAC published earlier in the year.
Land-Care would urge as many persons as possible
to read these responses for themselves to assess whether SNH through
their own assessment of their own draft SOAC have carried out this
task without bias.
In the view of Land-Care they have not and indeed
it would be surprising if they had - it is notoriously difficult
to be a fair creator, judge and jury - all in one. It would have
been much better if some independent body had been given the task
of assessing and reporting on the 1362 written responses SNH received.
It is understood that the SNH Board insisted on
some alterations to the draft SOAC dated 5 Dec 03 as presented to
them. Just what these alterations are is not known to Land-Care.
The ill-conceived legislation of the
Land Reform (Scotland) Act, coupled with how the draft SOAC is shaping
up under the same SNH hand, is going to cause more strife than harmony
in the countryside, especially close to urban settlements. It will
further seriously damage the efficiency and quality of farming and
its involvement with conservation and biosecurity especially in
these areas.
This was a repeated message in the
consultation responses, but somehow SNH in its self-analysis of
these responses did not seem to read it or report it that way.
Please try to get time to read the
responses for yourself. If you are not happy with SNH's analysis,
contact your MSP.
The written responses by the public to the
SNH Consultation Paper on the draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code
can be viewed during normal urban office hours by appointment at
SNH offices at Battleby, by Perth or in Edinburgh.
www.land-care.org.uk
Further Reading recommended by Land-Care
 Editorial
(2003). Re-drafted SNH SOAC pays little heid to consultation responses
See SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS CODE Homepage, filed 2 Dec 03, www.land-care.org.uk
(Click
Here to View)
Editorial
(2003). Who runs Scottish Natural Heritage?
See SOCIAL/ECONOMIC/POLITICAL Homepage, filed 17 Oct 03, www.land-care.org.uk
(Click
Here to View)
Irvine,
James (2003). Does SNH conduct itself as an honest broker, or as
a political manipulator?
See SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS Homepage, filed 25 Oct 03, www.land-care.org.uk
(Click
Here to View)
Irvine,
James (2003). Scottish Natural Heritage’s Policy on Access.
Is it being mis-sold in relation to enclosed Farmland next to Urban
Communities? A Report on the Press Conference held by SNH at the
Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Edinburgh, June 2000.
See SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS CODE Homepage,
filed 7 Jan 03, www.land-care.org.uk (Click
Here to View)
Irvine,
James (2003). SNH Conference September 2000. Enjoyment and Understanding
of the Natural Heritage: Finding the New Balance between Rights
and Responsibilities. A Review of the Proceedings
Reproduced, with minor updates, from LandCare Scotland, Vol. 1:
25-32
See SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS CODE Homepage, filed 22 Jan 03, www.land-care.org.uk
(Click Here to View)
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