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Powys County Council has a legal duty to set up a Local Access Forum (LAF). The main function of the LAF is to give advice to the Council about the public access to land in the area for open-air recreation and the enjoyment of the area, taking into account the needs of land management and the natural beauty of the area.
The LAF is there to also advise other bodies, including Natural Resources Wales, about 'open access'.
One important LAF responsibility is considering whether public access should be granted to land under Glastir agri-environment scheme which currently have no public access, and if so, where this access should be.
All meetings are open to the public, and the Forum liaises with the Brecon Beacons National Park LAF which falls mainly within Powys.
Meetings
Local Access Forum meetings are currently being held in hybrid format, so attendance can be virtual via 'Teams' or in person at County Hall, Llandrindod Wells. Meetings are scheduled for the following dates:
31 March 2025
30 June 2025
If you would like to attend to observe a Local Access Forum meeting virtually as a member of the public, please contact us in advance of the meeting so that we can email you a link to join it.
The Forum draws its membership from across Powys, and from as wide an area of interests as possible. One County Councillor sits on the Forum to represent the Council. Members all sit as individuals and not as representatives of an organisation.
The setting-up and workings of LAFs are governed by Regulations and guidance. The LAF must meet at least twice a year. However, meetings generally take place three times a year and are usually held in the Llandrindod Wells area, or at another venue agreed by the Forum members. It has been decided that one meeting per year will be a site visit, again to be agreed by members.
The regulations say that the LAF must have a named secretary. The contact details for the secretary are shown under 'Contacts' on this page. The Secretary is supported at the LAF by the Countryside Services' staff most able to advise on each meeting's business.
Forum Members
The Council's representative on the Forum is County Councillor Gareth E Jones. The membership of the Local Access Forum for its 2023-26 term is:
