Forum Members

Independent Members

David Ashcroft - Farming

Other interests: conservation, dog walking.

David farms 450 acres in the South Downs near Alton, including a large herd of suckler cows.He was Chairman of the National Farmers Union in Hampshire during 2004-5 and continues to be an active member. He is currently District Councillor for the Ward of Selborne in East Hampshire and this year has been appointed by the South Downs National Park Authority to be a member of the South Downs Local Access Forum. David is particularly interested in promoting education and understanding between users and landowners, and has proven to be a valuable member of the Forum. He was Vice-Chair of the Forum from 2008-2010 and was elected as the Chair for 2011.

Sue Coles - Cycling

Other interests: walking, tourism.

Sue has had long involvement in both cycling and rambling groups in the county. She has been the Secretary of the Winchester group of the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) since 1987, and in 1999 formed ‘Hampshire Cycling’, an effective umbrella group of CTC members across Hampshire, to facilitate the promotion of cycling with the County and district councils. She is also a registered Blue Badge tourist guide. Sue has been a very active Forum member, bringing reasoned advice based on a breadth and depth of experience. She is currently Project Coordinator for the Forum’s ‘Providing Access to Hampshire’s Heritage’ project and was instrumental in securing the Heritage Lottery Funding for the project.

Graham Flatt - Access and Community Planning

Other interests: volunteering, walking.

Graham has experience in landscape planning and management, including the development of opportunities for access, working closely with District Councils and local communities. He has also supported Parish Councils develop Local Landscape Character Assessments contributing to Community Plans.He has been the co-ordinator of the Hampshire Conservation Volunteers and continues to work with BTCV. He is also Chairman of the Ropley Society and has worked with the Committee to update the walks booklet for the Parish.

Jo Hatton - Education

Other interests: conservation.

Jo works for Hampshire Country Learning and is actively involved in promoting the countryside and the importance of countryside education to schools throughout Hampshire. She also has extensive experience of working with farmers and landowners, negotiating educational access and helping to run school farm visits.

Paul Knipe - Conservation

Other interests: land management, education, volunteering. Paul is a conservation adviser with experience of conducting habitat surveys and putting together management plans for a number of organisations and landowners. He is currently working on a number of local conservation projects including road verge restoration, hedge-laying and the creation of green lanes and has recently written guidance for the Open University on the importance of edge habitats including green lanes. He is also an active member of the Parish Council Footpath Committee.

Mark Maclay - Land Management/Farming

Other interests: education, carriage driving.

Mark is a landowner and farmer with considerable experience managing rights of way over his land. He has helped the Countryside Service on a number of specific projects, including the development of circular walks in his local area. He is also an advocate of countryside education and has been actively involved in school visits to his farm.

Alan Marlow - Walking

Other interests: volunteering, motor vehicles, dog walking, cycling.

Alan is an active member of the Ramblers Association both locally and at a county committee level and has worked on members’ behalf to improve access. He arranges a large walk programme in Hampshire, is a regular walk leader and involved in all aspects of the Ramblers activities. Alan is regularly involved in Duke of Edinburgh Award countryside skills training and assessment and walks extensively in his spare time. Alan was Chairman of the Forum from 2008-2010 and continues to be one of its most active members, also sitting on the Steering Committee for its ‘Providing Access to Hampshire’s Heritage’ project.

Sue Montila - Equestrian

Other interests: youth work, volunteering.

Sue is from a farming family, regularly walks her dogs and through her role as a youth worker, has extensive experience of introducing young people to the countryside. As a horse owner, Sue formed a local Bridleway Group which has negotiated new permissive routes and improvements to existing routes. The Group has also been successful in raising £28,000 for improvements to local routes. Sue has rounded experience across most areas, a proven track record of securing sensible improvements to access and is an active Forum member.

Frank Pearson - Parish Councils

Other interests: walking, dog walking, conservation.

Frank is a Swanmore Parish Councillor and is the nominee of the Hampshire Association of Local Councils as 'a strong and consistent advocate for local councils and their communities'. He is currently Deputy Mayor for Winchester City Council and up to 2010 was the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Environmental Health and Community Safety, with particular interest in planning (including managing future development), biodiversity and the South Downs National Park.Frank has always lived in rural communities and is a keen walker.

Linda Prior - Walking (Portsmouth City Council representative)

Other interests: conservation, volunteering.

Linda serves on the Committee of the Portsmouth Ramblers Group and regularly leads walks throughout Hampshire. She is particularly interested in representing the views of the residents of Portsmouth. Her membership is strongly supported by Portsmouth City Council.

Stuart Robertson - Volunteering

Other interests: education, land management.Stuart is currently a lecturer in Countryside Management at Sparsholt College. Prior to this he worked as an Access Ranger for Hampshire County Council Countryside Service for 19 years. He therefore has an extensive knowledge of the rights of way network in Hampshire and issues relating to rights of way.He also has experience in dealing with both users and landowners. During his time with the Countryside Service he also worked for the Parish Paths Partnership where he coordinated and led volunteer groups in rights of way improvement tasks.

Richard Sturgess - Disability interests

Other interests: equalities.

Richard is Access Officer for Gosport and Fareham Borough Councils. Disabled himself, Richard successfully ran a large and active access group in Havant which promoted equality of access to the built environment and the countryside. He has worked at a county level to promote disabled access and does so in a sensible and productive manner.

Alan Taylor - Walking and Land Management

Other interests: rural policy, volunteering.

Alan worked for Defra and MAFF for 30 years, retiring in 2005 as Head of Forestry, Soils and Uplands Division.He is now a conservation volunteer and user Forum member for the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, and Trustee of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust.Alan also leads walks regularly and supports a wide variety of charities.He brings a broad and measured understanding of the workings of government, especially in reconciling land management and access interests, as well as local knowledge and practical experience.

Jim Weeks - Off-Road Cycling

Other interests: youth work. Jim cycles around 3,000 miles a year both on and off-road, often in the Fareham area, but also alongsidecanals and disused railway lines further afield and Sustrans routes beyond Hampshire. He is an active member of the Cyclists’ Touring Club and the Hampshire Cycling lobby group. Jim is also a member of his local District Scouts Council and has an interest in promoting cycling and general countryside access to young people.

Helen Witt - Dog Walking

Other interests: parish councils, walking, rural heritage.Helen is a keen dog walker, making use of rights of way and open spaces across Hampshire. She currently has contact with her local dog walking community and is keen to extend this across the county. She is also Footpath Warden and sits on the Traffic, Roads and Access Sub-Committee for Twyford Parish Council.

Nigel Wolstenholme - Land Management/Rural Business

Other interests: disabled access, education.

Nigel owns and manages an estate near Stockbridge, from which he operates two vineyards and his commercial property management and investment businesses. He regularly assists the Countryside Service in managing the rights of way on his estate and is an active member of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), sitting on the Hampshire Committee. Due to recent partial disability Nigel confesses to having gained a different perspective for access to the countryside for disabled users, and is keen to bring this perspective to the Forum.

Members representing the Appointing Authorities

Councillor Ellis - Hampshire County Council

Councillor Ellis has a keen interest in the countryside and is very supportive of and well-informed on the work of Hampshire's Countryside Service. He is the Executive Member for Economic Development and Rural Affairs and as such is also a member of Cabinet, the foremost committee of the County Council. Born in Portsmouth and a Hampshire resident for much of his life, Councillor Ellis worked in biochemical engineering in the public sector, together with lecturing and educational posts, and then in world banking. He has had extensive experience of committee membership throughout his career and is also an active rotarian.

Councillor Smith - Portsmouth City Council