Local Access Forums


The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 placed a statutory duty on every highway and National Park authority to set up and maintain a local access forum in its area. Some twenty-four Local Access Forums (LAFs) are set up in Wales to advise local authorities, Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government on access developments.

Land management issues

In providing this advice, LAFs consider important issues related to land management - as well as the real need to conserve the natural beauty of the specific area.

Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, a forum must consist of members who represent:

  • users of local access land and local rights of way
  • owners and occupiers of access land and land with rights of way
  • other interests especially relevant to the area

Elections and representatives

The Local Access Forums in Wales maintain contact with each other through the biannual Chairs' Meetings (usually held in February and October), and the Annual Conference, which is usually held in June. They also elect a National Representative and a Deputy National Representative whose roles are to represent the LAFs at appropriate events, forums and meetings, such as the National Access Forum for Wales.

NRW helps the National Representative arrange these national level meetings and produces the notes of the meetings and conference.

LAF National Meetings

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