Park authority ditches legal action against Defra over budget cuts

Northumberland National Park Authority has dropped a legal challenge against the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs over its alleged failure to consult adequately before imposing budget cuts.

In addition to criticising the lack of consultation, the NNPA had accused Defra of failing to properly apply the National Park funding formula when deciding on the budgets of National Park Authorities in England.

The authority said English parks were facing around 33% cuts in real terms over the next four years.

It claimed that Northumberland was the least funded park authority and under-funded according to Defra’s own formula. This meant it faced “a disproportionately significant impact”, the NNPA said.

The cuts to Northumberland have seen a 50% reduction in its management, reductions in staff and the cutting back of services such as visitor centres and footpath maintenance.

The NNPA unanimously decided to issue a letter of claim to Defra. But it has now said that despite its dissatisfaction with the department’s response, it will not pursue legal proceedings.

Northumberland’s chairman, John Riddle, said: “The authority has decided that its current priority is to use its limited resources to address the significant challenges required by budget reductions. We are deeply concerned, however, that if the allocation of funding for national parks is not addressed and revised, it is likely that future funding decisions will have an even greater detrimental effect on the least-funded national park which is Northumberland.”

Chief executive Tony Gates said the authority would continue to press for the fair allocation of available resources across the national park “family” in England .