GW72 Feature
Ruth
Chambers, Deputy
Chief Executive at the Campaign for National
Parks, gives an account of what the funding cuts
could mean.
Despite their
iconic status National Parks have not been
immune from the recent spate of public
funding cuts; in fact, nothing could be
further from the truth as the bodies that run
the parks, the National Park Authorities
(NPAs) battle to assimilate a 33% cut into
their already modest budgets.
To understand the impact of the cuts, it might be helpful to take a step back and look at why we have NPAs in the first place. They are independent, special purpose local authorities that have been set up to manage National Parks for the purposes of conserving and enhancing their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and promoting opportunities for the public to enjoy these special places.
The NPAs enable the national interest in National Parks to be represented in decisions but they are also in close touch with their local communities. This national-local axis is essential to get right because the future wellbeing of the parks, and the people that use them, depends on both local and national funding, participation and support.
At the Campaign for National Parks, we feared the worst from the funding cuts when it emerged that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had settled early and that the secretary of state had offered to be a member of the Star Chamber, the secret meeting of government ministers that would finalise departmental budgets. This fear turned out to be justified when all Defra-sponsored bodies received a cut of 21.5%, which, when inflation and the in-year cut of five per cent are factored in, means that the English National Park Authorities will see around 33% cuts in real terms in their funding from Defra over the next four years. To compound the misery, the parks will also suffer from indirect cuts as many of their partners’ budgets have also been slashed.
There has, inevitably, been a range of reactions from across the family with most NPAs putting on brave faces and getting on with the job – what else could they do? – while one, Northumberland, had the tenacity to send Defra a “letter before claim” announcing its intention to seek a judicial review of the funding decision. It felt that the secretary of state's decision had a disproportionate impact on Northumberland National Park. The budget reduction resulted in a 50% cut in the management of the authority, major reductions in staffing (68 staff cut to 48) and the cutting back of important services, such as visitor centres and footpath maintenance, that will affect residents, tourism businesses and visitors. In the end the authority has decided not to pursue the legal challenge, not least because of the cost implications of doing so. In English law claimants are usually responsible for paying the other side’s costs and government lawyers don’t come cheap.
What this all means will become clearer in six months' time when new structures have settled down but some things are already apparent...
Public transport in the Parks will be affected – the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has decided not to spend any effort on public transport. North Yorkshire County Council has also cut funding for key bus services. If you don’t have a car it will be harder to reach the Dales by public transport. Luckily, some clouds have a silver lining and thanks to the amazing efforts of the Yorkshire Dales Community Interest Company some key services have been saved.
The quality of rights of way will deteriorate; one of the quirks of National Park legislation is that county councils are legally responsible for managing the rights of way network. In most cases the work on the ground is done by the National Park Authority, with some financial support from the county. In the North York Moors that support has been withdrawn, meaning that less effort will go into maintaining, repairing and signposting rights of way, which are the essential green infrastructure that most of us use to gain access to the parks’ stunning landscapes.
Other key functions will suffer: each authority has evolved a different solution to tackling the cuts but jobs have been lost across the board and the authorities collectively and individually will be forced to do less and to seek more partnerships.
These national assets are run on a relative shoestring: the entire family of English National Parks will only cost the government £46.6 million in 2014-15.
Compare this with say the cost of large capital construction projects and suddenly this figure seems tremendous value for money, especially considering the vital role that National Parks play in supporting our national wellbeing. The key question now must therefore be when will the government restore the funding that has been lost?
The Campaign for National Parks is the national charity that campaigns to protect and promote National Parks. 2011 is the charity’s 75th anniversary.
To understand the impact of the cuts, it might be helpful to take a step back and look at why we have NPAs in the first place. They are independent, special purpose local authorities that have been set up to manage National Parks for the purposes of conserving and enhancing their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and promoting opportunities for the public to enjoy these special places.
The NPAs enable the national interest in National Parks to be represented in decisions but they are also in close touch with their local communities. This national-local axis is essential to get right because the future wellbeing of the parks, and the people that use them, depends on both local and national funding, participation and support.
At the Campaign for National Parks, we feared the worst from the funding cuts when it emerged that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had settled early and that the secretary of state had offered to be a member of the Star Chamber, the secret meeting of government ministers that would finalise departmental budgets. This fear turned out to be justified when all Defra-sponsored bodies received a cut of 21.5%, which, when inflation and the in-year cut of five per cent are factored in, means that the English National Park Authorities will see around 33% cuts in real terms in their funding from Defra over the next four years. To compound the misery, the parks will also suffer from indirect cuts as many of their partners’ budgets have also been slashed.
There has, inevitably, been a range of reactions from across the family with most NPAs putting on brave faces and getting on with the job – what else could they do? – while one, Northumberland, had the tenacity to send Defra a “letter before claim” announcing its intention to seek a judicial review of the funding decision. It felt that the secretary of state's decision had a disproportionate impact on Northumberland National Park. The budget reduction resulted in a 50% cut in the management of the authority, major reductions in staffing (68 staff cut to 48) and the cutting back of important services, such as visitor centres and footpath maintenance, that will affect residents, tourism businesses and visitors. In the end the authority has decided not to pursue the legal challenge, not least because of the cost implications of doing so. In English law claimants are usually responsible for paying the other side’s costs and government lawyers don’t come cheap.
What this all means will become clearer in six months' time when new structures have settled down but some things are already apparent...
Public transport in the Parks will be affected – the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has decided not to spend any effort on public transport. North Yorkshire County Council has also cut funding for key bus services. If you don’t have a car it will be harder to reach the Dales by public transport. Luckily, some clouds have a silver lining and thanks to the amazing efforts of the Yorkshire Dales Community Interest Company some key services have been saved.
The quality of rights of way will deteriorate; one of the quirks of National Park legislation is that county councils are legally responsible for managing the rights of way network. In most cases the work on the ground is done by the National Park Authority, with some financial support from the county. In the North York Moors that support has been withdrawn, meaning that less effort will go into maintaining, repairing and signposting rights of way, which are the essential green infrastructure that most of us use to gain access to the parks’ stunning landscapes.
Other key functions will suffer: each authority has evolved a different solution to tackling the cuts but jobs have been lost across the board and the authorities collectively and individually will be forced to do less and to seek more partnerships.
These national assets are run on a relative shoestring: the entire family of English National Parks will only cost the government £46.6 million in 2014-15.
Compare this with say the cost of large capital construction projects and suddenly this figure seems tremendous value for money, especially considering the vital role that National Parks play in supporting our national wellbeing. The key question now must therefore be when will the government restore the funding that has been lost?
The Campaign for National Parks is the national charity that campaigns to protect and promote National Parks. 2011 is the charity’s 75th anniversary.
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