CAMPAIGNERS and authorities have welcomed the news that DEFRA will protect funding for national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in real terms for the next four years.

The Dartmoor National Park Authority’s (DNPA) budget is £4,274,061, for 2015/16 – the national park grant from DEFRA accounts for almost 84% of that figure.

The announcement means that DNPA now has a protected grant settlement for the financial years 2016/17 to 2019/20.

Over the past five years national park authorities had their government budgets cut by up to 40% and there was real concern that authorities would face further cuts to meet the Government’s £20-billion savings plans.

In the 2015 Autumn Statement and Spending Review Chancellor of George Osborne announced that the funding for national parks and AONBs would be protected – however he did announce departmental savings which could have affected the differing amount of savings that each park would receive.

Despite having welcomed the news of protected funds, national parks were still waiting to hear how the £350-million worth of funding would be divided between ANOBs, National Park Authorities and Forestry Commission. DEFRA had to find savings of 15% which initially raised questions for other parts of its work.

Peter Harper, chairman of Dartmoor National Park: ’We have just received conformation that our budget will be protected for the next four years (2016/17 – 2019/20). This is excellent news for the authority, those who live and work in the National Park and the millions of people who visit the National Park. I would like to record my thanks to our Minister Rory Stewart OBE MP and the Secretary of State Liz Truss for their personal support and confidence in the work we do.

’After five years of deep cuts, that saw our income decline by over 40 per cent, we now face a period of financial stability that will provide an opportunity to plan ahead and re-focus our efforts on sustaining the National Park for the benefit of current future and generations.

’It is pleasing to note that the Government has been impressed by our work, and that of our partners, on a range of important issues from the conservation of the National Parks special qualities to the testing of a new approach to agri-environment and the provision of superfast broadband.’