Pendle Council is to seek talks with officers from County Hall to discuss plans by the county council to terminate its countryside access service.
Under the agreement, Pendle has managed the maintenance of paths, bridleways and byways on behalf of the county for 40 years. But the county council has served notice on Pendle that this agreement will end in March as it cannot afford to devote the same resources.
Nelson Town Council member John Rowe told a meeting of Pendle’s Executive the system worked well. He said the change would result in a fall in the standard of paths in Pendle.
Coun. David Whipp said Labour and Conservative county councillors had voted for the change. “We need to fight to retain this agreement and keep our paths which are vital for our tourist economy,” said Coun. Whipp. “We have one of the best walking festivals in the whole of the country.”
“The footpath service is worth its weight in gold but Pendle does not have a lot of gold left.”