COUNTRYSIDE bosses have promised to improve Ilkley's footpath network after a damning report by the Audit Commission.

While the council's countryside service was praised in the report, the rights of way section was condemned as 'poor'.

Ilkley district councillor and Bradford's environment chief Anne Hawkesworth acknowledged the poor performance of the service but said that recent structural changes would lead to an improvement.

After the inspection, Diane Neale, of the northern region best value inspection service, said: "Bradford is not alone in having a poorly performing rights of way service. Nationally there is a trend of under achievement due to under-researching and unresolved backlogs.

"Despite this, it is important not to be complacent. People consider public access to open spaces to be very important.

"It is encouraging that the council has recognised the flaws in the service, and the new Service Improvement Plan show real commitment to facing the challenges of the radical change that is necessary."

After the inspection the Audit Commission inspectors outlined a number of problems with the service.

p Although the council has a description of its statutory duties, it has no statement of aims linking it clearly to the council's corporate priorities and long-term regeneration strategy.

p Very little has been done to make the public aware of the extent of the rights of way network and to encourage them to use it.

p The network is not well mapped, maintained or signed.

p In the absence of clear management guidance or agreed policies staff tend to fall back on rigid legal processes leading to overly beaurocratic approaches to simple problems.

But it was a different story with the council's countryside service. It was described as good and likely to improve by inspectors.

Ms Neale said: "Bradford's countryside service has many positive features, which it should be proud of. Customer feedback was excellent and the staff are a credit to the service."

In the wake of the inspection the council took the decision to merge the two services, a move which is expected to bring about improvements.

Coun Hawkesworth said that the findings of the report did not come as a surprise but major changes had taken place since the inspection.

She said that the merger of the countryside and rights of way services would result in more joined--up thinking and allow field officers to make sure footpaths were looked after on the ground and give other officers to deal with legal issues in the office.

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