Latest news with #TonyGates
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding cuts leave national park 'near cliff edge'
A national park is "close to a cliff edge", facing cuts to education, outreach and ranger services after a reduction in its government funding, according to its boss. The chief executive of the Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA) Tony Gates said a cut of about 8% in its revenue grant for this year comes on top of a long-term financial squeeze. "I'm really struggling to see how we can remove £350,000 from our budget next year without cutting back some really critical services," Mr Gates said. The government said it had given England's 10 national parks a £15m capital uplift, calling them a "source of national pride". But Mr Gates said funding for the national park had fallen sharply in real terms over 15 years, forcing the closure of visitor centres and the shrinking of its team of rangers. "We're facing the single largest cut in our revenue budget that we've had in our history," Mr Gates said. "At a time when we face a nature crisis, a climate crisis and a health and wellbeing crisis for our people, the impact is likely that we're reducing the number of programmes in those areas rather than expanding them." Steve Miller, who owns a campsite at Melkridge, said the park was vital for local tourism. He said most of his customers come to use the facilities and enjoy the countryside. "If the National Park didn't exist it would definitely impact the amount of visitors coming," Mr Miller said. Mr Gates said Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs capital investment was "very welcome", but it still left the park struggling to cover it running costs. "It helps pay for facilities," he said. "But I need to have a team in place to identify what those capital investments are... to look after them and maintain them." Politics North is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00 BST and on iPlayer. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. National park admits it could do 'more' for wildlife National park cuts will axe rangers, bosses say Northumberland National Park Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Northumberland National Park 'near cliff edge' over funding cuts
A national park is "close to a cliff edge", facing cuts to education, outreach and ranger services after a reduction in its government funding, according to its chief executive of the Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA) Tony Gates said a cut of about 8% in its revenue grant for this year comes on top of a long-term financial squeeze."I'm really struggling to see how we can remove £350,000 from our budget next year without cutting back some really critical services," Mr Gates government said it had given England's 10 national parks a £15m capital uplift, calling them a "source of national pride". But Mr Gates said funding for the national park had fallen sharply in real terms over 15 years, forcing the closure of visitor centres and the shrinking of its team of rangers."We're facing the single largest cut in our revenue budget that we've had in our history," Mr Gates said."At a time when we face a nature crisis, a climate crisis and a health and wellbeing crisis for our people, the impact is likely that we're reducing the number of programmes in those areas rather than expanding them." Steve Miller, who owns a campsite at Melkridge, said the park was vital for local said most of his customers come to use the facilities and enjoy the countryside."If the National Park didn't exist it would definitely impact the amount of visitors coming," Mr Miller said. Mr Gates said Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs capital investment was "very welcome", but it still left the park struggling to cover it running costs."It helps pay for facilities," he said."But I need to have a team in place to identify what those capital investments are... to look after them and maintain them." Politics North is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00 BST and on iPlayer. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
National park cuts will axe rangers, bosses say
The head of a national park has said budget cuts mean the public can expect to see fewer rangers and fewer rights of way being maintained. Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA) head Tony Gates said the body's funding from the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) had been cut by about 8.2% for this financial year. Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) head Gavin Capstick said it was expecting a 9% cut to its grant which he said had the potential "to risk all services we deliver". Defra said it was investing £400m in nature across the country including national parks. Mr Gates said this year's government grant would be about £219,000 less than the previous financial year. Taking into account the rise in national insurance contributions, Mr Gates called the moves the "single largest cut in our revenue budget that we've had in the 20 years that I've worked for this national park". He said the cuts would mean cutting staff, as well as education and outreach programmes. He said national parks were "assets" which could help the public get closer to nature and better understand the impact of climate change. "We're not going to be able to realise that potential," he said. Last month the LDNPA said it would hand over the management of the UK's first national park visitor centre. It said the lease of its Brockhole-on-Windermere site would be put on the market, with nine staff having already been made redundant as part of the move. Mr Capstick said the move was due to increased costs and "continued cuts to funding". "It is already very difficult to meet the local and national ambitions and targets for the National Park," he said. "We urgently need a commitment to adequate and sustainable funding to allow us to continue looking after this special place." Defra said it was also providing a capital uplift of up to £15m to national parks and that it would help the bodies cut "bureaucracy and take an entrepreneurial approach to boost earnings". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. New ponds to attract wildlife to Lakes attraction Plan to hand over park visitor centre amid cuts Brockhole-on-Windermere
