After my request to attend the 2008 IPROW AGM was declined, the Leader of East Hampshire District Council wrote to them, expressing a strong desire for my participation. However, the response was again negative, and no explanation or reason was provided.

I subsequently wrote to my MP, the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot, to inquire whether he knew how they are funded. If it comes from the public purse, they ought not to exclude elected members of the Council.  

My enquiries revealed that HCC’s Countryside Service had paid a total of £382.95 to the Institute of Public Rights of Way Management Ltd for professional membership covering nine officers, along with an additional £258 for the subscription for the Local Access Forum members. However, my MP’s research indicated that IPROW was too small for their accounts to be itemised.

The next thing I heard was that they would only permit professionals to attend their training sessions, seminars, and similar events in the future. This is despite the fact that funding for their Officers’ membership comes from the local Community Charge.

To this day, I still do not know what I am being accused of, so one can imagine there may be information that would be inconvenient for me to learn. 

Consequently, I remain slandered and libelled by their peculiar response.

Additionally, Mrs Slade resides on the Isle of Wight and contributes a Natural History column to her local newspaper. It is reasonable to assume that she is likely a member or volunteer with the Hants and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

The latter are the land managers for Hampshire County Council, responsible for maintaining Broxhead Common. On page 4 of my cover letter to my Statement of Case, I highlight the challenges posed by this source's negative attitude toward horse riders.

It might all be a coincidence, but given the situation, it doesn’t inspire confidence and raises questions about the inspector's impartiality.

As one of her contemporaries has informed me, IPROW is quite a small pond. It is difficult to believe that she was unaware of the aforementioned or would not have contacted IPROW's Vice Chairman, Andrew Smith. Smith is HCC’s Rights of Way Manager and, consequently, one of the Objectors to this Order.

Next time: Inspectors Code of Conduct.

All 'TCHCC' Parts so far