The financial situation for all national parks is incredibly difficult, and the South Downs is no exception (Funding cuts leave England’s national parks facing ‘existential crisis’, 8 November). Funding for the park authority has fallen by 40% in real terms over the past decade, and this year it has had to make £1.1m of savings, including substantial staff cuts, the closure of a depot, the merging of ranger teams and less funding for projects.
The South Downs has received a flat cash settlement from the government of £10.486m in every year since 2019-20, and this amount will remain the same until 2024-25 – at a time of rapidly rising costs for all services.
Inflation continues to erode this sum, meaning we continue to have to make cuts in delivery on the ground as well as seeking alternative funding. This is before any further cuts that might arise as a result of the chancellor’s 17 November budget.
The park authority has balanced the books until 2024-25 through cuts, efficiency savings and fundraising, after which we will be facing a deficit of at least £849,000 over the subsequent two years unless funding increases.
National parks are the green lungs of the nation, providing a vital public service to help people access the countryside and protect and enhance our cherished landscapes. We are also the linchpin of the UK’s challenging nature recovery and climate change targets. We need the resources to match our ambitions for all of this.
Trevor Beattie
Chief executive, South Downs national park authority
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