COUNTY COUNCIL - CABINET/LEADER - 16 MAY 2002

NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK - DESIGNATION ORDER

1. The Countryside Agency has published a Designation Order for the New Forest National Park. This follows previous informal public consultations on the proposed boundary and administrative arrangements, as well as a statutory consultation on the proposed boundary with local authorities affected.

2. The Cabinet asked the Environment Policy Review Committee to consider the proposals in detail and in the light of its comments, submitted a formal response on behalf of the County Council. The Cabinet welcomed the recognition of the importance of the New Forest inherent in the proposal to designate it as a National Park, supported the need for the Forest to have a solution which gives it permanent protection, but asked that its unique qualities be recognised by the publication of a Government circular. It also supported the boundary of the area identified in the Designation Order (see Appendix 2) as being appropriate for special measures, including the protection of the area. However, for many years the County Council, along with some other bodies, has argued that there should be a tailor-made solution for the New Forest rather than the creation of a standard National Park Authority which would result from the Designation Order. This would differ from the standard National Park solution in that it could allow functions, e.g. planning functions, to remain with the existing local authorities whilst enabling the creation of a statutory body or board which would ensure that all agencies worked together for the greater good of the area. In addition, a standard National Park Authority, would draw a proportion of its membership from elected Members from the existing local authorities in the area and the remainder from Secretary of State appointments, and the Cabinet remains convinced that this would result in a lack of direct democratic accountability. Accordingly, whilst supporting many of the laudable objectives behind the proposals, the Cabinet, on behalf of the County Council, has submitted a formal objection to the Designation Order on these grounds. The matter is now likely to proceed to public inquiry.

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