County Durham Local Access Forum

The County Durham Local Access Forum (LAF) is a statutory body that advises us on land access issues.

Public Rights of Way remain open, but please be considerate when using them and see our Coronavirus Public Rights of Way guidance.

Next meeting

Date of next meeting is Friday 5 February 2021 at 2.00pm. The meeting wil be held remotely through Microsoft Teams.

The papers for the meeting will be available from Monday 1 February 2021. Please contact us to request a copy.

Sheep killed by pet dogs each year

Every year, sheep are injured and even killed by dogs in the countryside that are not on leads. This can be especially bad during lambing season, as pregnant ewes and lambs are more at risk. It can also lead to the dog being put down, if the attack is particularly vicious.

Because of this, we would ask that dog walkers take care when exercising their dogs, be mindful of the possible consequences of a loose dog around a sheep flock and keep their dogs on a lead.

Background

The LAF advises us on access issues, including the Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) and Open access in County Durham.

Its membership is made up of people whose knowledge and experience relates to land access. There is a great range of expertise within the LAF, with both user and landowner interests being represented fairly.

The forum meets several times a year to discuss various access issues. These meetings are open to the public and the minutes of previous meetings are available below or from the forum secretary. The forum's annual reports also outline its activities and include details of its members.