Para 67 and 68 do not address the evidence of dedication by a previous owner.

The fact that Mr Menzies's letter does not include Baigents Hill confirms that he must have been writing on behalf of a wider public. Locals would indeed have made it clear that they used the Baigents Hill path. Alternatively, he may have realised that Baigents Hill did not belong to Mr Whitfield, to whose Manager the letter was addressed.

Regrettably, I found this decision report contrived, inaccurate, and far from impartial. However, could there have been a reason for this?

Is it possible that the Planning Inspector, Mrs Helen Slade, had personal and prejudicial interests in this case, which she had chosen not to reveal?

At the beginning of the Public Inquiry, she announced she was a member of IPROW (Institute of Public Rights of Way Officers). I have since learnt that her connections with this small organisation go back in time.

I used to get emails from their Secretary, Geri Coop, informing me of training events, etc. In 2007, I accepted an invitation to their AGM.

I sat and listened, and I felt well-received, except for IPROW’s Vice Chair, Andrew Smith, and his companion, Alex Lewis. Andrew heads up the Countryside Department at Hampshire County Council, and Alex was the Access Team Leader until last November. They seemed uncomfortable seeing me and asked what I was doing there.

I told them that I was primarily interested in hearing Jane Yates from Natural England speak about funding grants for ROW. Therefore, I was dismayed when my application to attend the 2008 AGM  the following year was refused because of ‘my unsuitable behaviour the previous year’.

I emailed IPROW’s Geri Coop, asking her to explain what they meant.  She replied by email and said they would telephone, but never did.  

Next time: my notes continue.

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