Governance handbook published to assist members of national park authorities in Wales

The Welsh Government has published a governance handbook for members of national park authorities to help them make effective decisions.

The Welsh Government said: “Now, perhaps more than ever before, it is crucial that the National Park Authorities (NPAs) benefit from effective decision-making and governance as they seek to balance the interests of local communities, businesses and land managers, while maintaining world-class experiences for visitors and of course, protecting nature.”

The handbook comes out of a programme of assistance, commissioned by the Welsh Government last year, for NPA members from HDR Consulting.

The programme is intended to equip members with the resources they need to effectively discharge their duties, and also to address a recommendation in Audit Wales’ report into National Park Authority Governance published last year.

That report called on NPAs in Wales to improve on a number of areas including member officer relations, as well as the appointment and the diversity of members.

Audit Wales also said that while it found the governance model provided a clear framework for the bodies, there were opportunities to strengthen their governance arrangements. 

It warned that "limited accountability and inconsistencies in how elected members are nominated could undermine good governance".

The new handbook is intended to give an overview of NPA Members’ governance roles and responsibilities, highlighting what it means in practical terms to be accountable for the effective governance of an NPA.

“Although the handbook is specifically designed for use by NPA Members, it contains guiding principles which will be helpful to anyone who serves in a strategic public role or wishes to know more about how NPAs are governed,” the Welsh Government said.