
A Peak District chief has admitted the instability of the UK Government has made it hard to chase funding for the national park, as it faces cuts of up to 40 per cent.
The Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA), along with the country’s 14 other national parks, was given a fixed settlement from the Government, which taking into account sorely inflation costs, means significantly less funding in reality.
Chairman Councillor Andrew McCloy, who is also chairman of National Parks England, admitted he had struggled to lobby Government about the issue in recent months due to the sustained period of political upheaval.
Speaking to the authority in a meeting on Friday, November 11, he stated: “I can relay to you the turmoil that has been happening and the unfavourable position that national parks find themselves in.
“Suffice to say that as chair of National Parks England I’ve now written to three different secretaries of state for the environment in the last four months or five months.
"The political changes have been so rapid."
PDNPA is waiting to hear what policies Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet plans to implement and the likely effect upon the national parks’ long term financial stability.
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