Decision - Consultation on the membership of the future South Downs National Park Authority

(1)         That the Cabinet Member approves the draft response to DEFRA attached at Appendix 1 regarding the proposed membership of the future South Downs National Park Authority.

1.      The council wishes to ensure that the South Downs NPA is effective and efficient and believes this is best achieved through a smaller authority discharging its duties.

2.      It is important that the council is represented on the NPA given the importance of conserving and promoting the South Downs within and around the city and across the whole National Park area.

3.      The nature of the two tier structure of county councils and district councils, and the inclusion of parish members already allows for increased representation on the NPA for those areas with more population or area to be included in the National Park, and thus there is not a need to opt for the larger NPA.

The council could decide not to respond to the consultation documents issued by Defra on the size and composition of the NPA.  However, this option is not recommended as the council has a keen interest in the National Park and ensuring its success in conserving and promoting the value of the land within and around the city and across the South Downs.