Pip’s Patch

An Association of Rural Communities news report – this does not cover all the issues discussed at the YDNPA meeting at Bainbridge on January 25.

BUDGET CUTS . – Members of the YDNPA were warned by the Chief Executive, David Butterworth, that they should be willing to share the pain of the budget cuts as much as the officers.

He told them not to put themselves in the position where they were saying they would not make any changes in terms of the total membership or in what they cost the Authority when they were about to make 30 officers redundant. “It is going to be incredibly difficult for me and for you as members if you are not seen to be making that contribution”, he said. A report about redundancies will be presented at the March Authority meeting.

Mr Butterworth outlined several ways that the members could assist with budget deficit reduction. He said the area for the largest potential savings was to cut down on the number of meetings. Some members questioned trying, when possible, to hold planning committee meetings on the same day as those of the full Authority, or holding planning committee meetings less frequently. It was felt that this would make it more difficult for communities to engage with the planning process. Some also queried trying to reduce the amount of printed agenda and committee papers as the members needed to receive sufficient information to make  informed decisions and not all of them found it possible to read everything sent by email.

It had been suggested that the members of the YDNPA should take on board a much more representative role where they would be expected to attend and speak at various parish council meetings instead of officers. Mr Butterworth warned: “My concern is that we don’t put in place officer-led bureaucratic processes in order to manage the thing, which will cost us an absolute fortune. If that’s the way it is going I say to you drop it now because introducting something that is going to cost more money is not a good idea.”

Some of the Secretary of State appointees wondered if the members’ allowances could be reduced. But  N Yorks County Coun Richard Welch and Dt Coun Kevin Lancaster argued this would lead to most of the Authority’s members being either retired people of those of independent means. Coun Welch said: “We want to attract people from more varied backgrounds but they will need compensation for the time they take off work.”

In the end the only point the members agreed upon was that a member/officer working group should be set up to examine ways to cut costs. This will report to the Authority meeting in March.

The issue of possibly reducing the total membership and size of the Authority was not discussed as this would be dealt with by the government through its review of National Park Authority governance.

UPVC WINDOWS IN CONSERVATION AREAS. – The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority should consult fully with local residents before imposing any restrictions on the installation of uPVC  windows even in conservation areas, two members of the Authority warned.

At the meeting Robert White, the Authority’s senior conservation archeologist presented a report about the extension of the conservation area at Clapham. This included the possibility, in the future, of issuing an Article 4 direction concerning the use of uPVC replacement products. Both  Graham Dalton and N Yorks County Coun John Blackie emphasised the need to discuss this with the whole community.   Dent parish councillor Dalton pointed out that with colder winters and higher heating costs residents would be looking for ways of conserving heat.

Coun Blackie said: “If I felt this was leading to a compulsion towards Article 4 I would vote against it. Whilst a few shrill voices in the community might want Article 4 direction generally speaking if you go to the community you will find that when they actually understand the implications of it they are not happy. We have just heard about engaging with the communities and there was some shortfall in our performance in that area (so) you need to be very very careful indeed .” He was assured that this would be fully discussed with the community.

Mr White had explained that the Authority was working with Craven District council on the extensions of Clapham conservation area as not all of  these were within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. When asked if the whole community was in agreement with the extensions he explained that the manager of Ingleborough Hall was not convinced that that estate needed to be within a conservation area as it was already well maintained and conserved.

The Authority’s member champion for the conservation of cultural heritage, Cumbria County Coun Roger Bingham, described Clapham as a delightful village which was beautifully conserved. The extensions to the conservation area will include the rising ground to the north of the village with its very characteristic medieval lynchet system and wooded top and the grounds of Ingleborough Hall with Reginald Farrer’s rock garden. Craven District Council may include the semi-detached estate cottages along The Green and some other houses.

ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITIES. -  Members were encouraged by the  final report of the National Park Authority Performance Assessment (NPAPA) review because it had upheld most of the self assessment carried out by the YDNPA. Of the four national parks reviewed in the past year the YDNPA had shared having the best assessment with one other authority. There had, however, been two areas of weakness: the performance of the planning department and the need to engage more with communities.

Coun Kevin Lancaster said that to engage with communities meant listening to people rather than talking at them. Mr Butterworth added that through the community project at Dent the Authority was learning to do that. Coun Blackie warned that it would not be possible to increase the level of engagement with communities if the number of members of the YDNPA was reduced.

He and the chairman of the Authority, Craven Dt Coun Carl Lis congratulated the officers of the YDNPA for their professionalism which had led to such a good NPAPA review. Coun Lis said: “This is not an underperforming Authority.”  Other members hoped this would be noted by the government when it discussed the governance of national parks.

VOLUNTEERING STRATEGY . – Following Rae Lonsdale’s review of the YDNPA’s volunteering strategy both he and all the volunteers were congratulated by several members.  Malcolm Petyt commented: “I am always impressed by the range of achievements of the volunteers and inspired by their enthusiasm”.

Coun Lis added that there was a waiting list of those who wanted to volunteer but there was often a hold up due to bureaucracy and he hoped the government would do something about that.  Members agreed that care had to be taken during a time of financial cutbacks that the good relationships between the Authority’s staff and the volunteers were maintained.  They accepted the rewording of part of the strategy to read: “the involvement of volunteers should complement and supplement the work of paid staff should not be used to displace paid staff or undercut their pay and conditions of service.”

For Mr Lonsdale’s full report see Review of the Authority’s Volunteering Strategy.