Public Rights of Way, often known as “PRoW”, are footpaths, bridleways and byways that the public has a legal right to use. They are an important part of parish life and are regularly used by residents and visitors.
In Cornwall, Cornwall Council is the Highway Authority and has overall legal responsibility for Public Rights of Way. St. Agnes Parish Council helps locally by cutting and maintaining specific paths included in its annual agreement with Cornwall Council. The Parish Council also maintains paths on land it owns.
It is important to understand that the Parish Council can only cut paths that are included in its agreed contract, or paths on Parish Council-owned land. If a path is not included in the contract, the Parish Council does not have authority to cut it, and the issue should be reported to Cornwall Council, or the landowner, which may be National Trust.
In 2025/26, the Parish Council’s contract included a significant increase in the number of paths maintained locally. However, Cornwall Council has confirmed that further annual increases are not expected due to budget pressures. This means any future changes to the paths included are likely to need a “one-in, one-out” approach.
The Parish Council is preparing a dedicated Public Rights of Way webpage to help residents understand which paths are maintained locally, how the cutting schedule works, and where to report issues. This will include a link to Cornwall Council’s interactive map, which shows official path numbers and routes.
When reporting a path issue, please provide the path number wherever possible. This helps identify the correct route quickly and ensures the enquiry is directed to the right organisation.
If the path is included in the Parish Council’s contract, it will be managed in line with the agreed seasonal cutting schedule. If it is not included, residents will be signposted to Cornwall Council, which remains responsible for the wider Public Rights of Way network.