Exmoor was designated as a National Park in 1954. Since then the co-ordination of work to achieve National Park purposes in the area has been undertaken by local government – first by the county councils and, since 1997, by a free-standing authority. The authority decides what measures can be taken to achieve these purposes, which are:
To conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Parks and
To promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Parks by the public
Like other public authorities it has a range of statutory duties and one of these is to foster the social and economic well-being of the local community. However, this is mainly the responsibility of the District and County Councils and the authority should not incur additional expenditure for the duty. It does not have the range of responsibilities of such councils and is known as a ‘single purpose’ authority.
The money spent by the Authority comes from a variety of sources. About 80% comes as a direct grant from the Government. The amount depends upon the Government’s own priorities and their reaction to the Authority’s bid and performance. Of the remaining income about half comes from the District and County Councils represented on the Authority, although most of this also comes to them as a direct grant from Government. The remainder is made up from grants from other statutory bodies, including European funding, and self-generated income.
National Park Authority offices (Location Map)
The Park Authority Committee consists of 22 members 4 parish members; 6 county council members; 6 district council memebrs; and 6 Secretary of state appointed members
The ratio of councillors reflects that one third of the National Park is in Devon and two thirds in Somerset. With the above, a balance of interests and skills are brought to bear on the day to day running of the National Park Authority. The Secretary of State appointees have fixed terms while duly elected councillors are appointed by the constituent local authorities.
How are the Members appointed?
Local Authority Members must be serving councillors of their appointing local authority. The Environment Act requires the local authority to have regard to the desirability of appointing Members who represent divisions or wards situated wholly or partly within the National Park boundary. They should also have relevant experience and close links to the National Park.
Councillors must stand for re-election to their council every four years. Six of the Members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are selected for their ability to represent a wider national viewpoint and for their specialist experience in relation to the particular character of the National Park. These Secretary of State appointed Members are usually appointed for a period of three years, but each Member can be re-appointed although this is usually limited to a maximum of ten years in total. Details will be included on the website when secretary of state members are proposed to be appointed. Four Parish Members are also appointed by the Secretary of State, they are elected by Parish Councils in the National Park. Parish Members must be either a Parish Councillor or the Chairman of a Parish Meeting.
The elections are administered by the Association of Exmoor Parish Council and Meetings. The successful candidates are then nominated to the Secretary of State for appointment. Parish Members are appointed to ensure that local people are involved in the running of the National Park; they are representatives of the local people in the National Park as a whole not just their own parish. Their term of office usually ends when parish council elections are held (every four years) unless there is a casual vacancy in the meantime.
The Authority meets five times a year, at Exmoor House, Dulverton.
Meetings of the Authority and Committees are open to the public, except where confidential matters are discussed (as laid down in the Local Government Act 1972). A timetable of Authority meeting for the year is available from the National Park Office or available online. ENPA Meeting Calendar.
Members also serve on a number of working groups which deal with specific areas of work. Details of timetables, agendas, and minutes are available from the Member Services Officer.
* Other Panels = A number of Member/Officer Working Groups which advise the National Park Officer on a variety of specific areas of interest.
| Park Authority | 22 Members | 5 meetings a year |
| Planning Committee | 22 Members | 12 meetings a year |
| Resources Committee | 11 Members | 4 meetings a year |
| Standards Committee | 7 Members, including 4 Independent Members | Meetings as necessary |
| Working Groups | Various | Meetings as necessary |
Listening to your views, keeping you informed
The National Park Authority produces a National Park Management Plan which provides a framework for all that it does in pursuit of its statutory purposes. The plan is reviewed every five years and is a plan for Exmoor, rather than just the Authority. There is wide consultation with a variety of organisations and the proposals are open to public comment. A similar procedure applies to its Structure Plan which sets out its broad planning policies, and its Local Plan, which has detailed proposals for each settlement.
The Authority produces an Annual Report which explains what it has done and how the money has been spent. It also keeps the public informed through frequent press releases, articles in local publications, a schools' newsletter, a free visitors newspaper (Exmoor Visitor) and a community newspaper for residents of Exmoor (Park Life).
The Exmoor National Park Authority consults and informs local organisations through the Exmoor Consultative Forum and Parish Consultative Group. The Authority also works closely with organisations and individuals on matters of shared interest, such as the Archaeology Advisory Group and Exmoor Access Forum.
How We Can Help?
Below are some of the ways the National Park Authority can play a positive role in local community affairs:
Advice and Assistance
Discussion and advice are the main tools the National Park Authority has to carry out its work. The diversity of our work means that we are in contact with many other parts of local and national government, agencies and other relevant organisations. Expertise within the Authority can be drawn upon to help residents with subjects as diverse as:
Funding: you may be eligible for outside funding for certain items such as renewing a thatch, creating a wooded area, clearing a ditch or ancient pond. The Authority's farm and countryside service provides free advice to put farmers and landowners in touch with the appropriate organisations.
Heritage: you may need advice on how to proceed with the care of an archaeological site or structure, these may include industrial archaeology or buildings of special interest.
Wildlife: the Authority's specialist staff can offer advice on the conservation and management of woodland and landscape to enhance wildlife habitats and the status of species.
Recreation: advice on events, rallies and other gatherings.
Planning: the Authority's planning officers are able to offer advice on development proposals to potential applicants as well as residents who may have concerns over the impact of a particular application.
Tourism: Developing sustainable tourism, providing information about the special qualities of Exmoor. Encouraging tourism initiatives to promote a thriving economy.
Education: the Authority has an education team that is able to advise and assist with environmental education both in school and on field visits. We also publish a wide range of educational material to support the National Curriculum.
Helping hands: Parish Councils may request assistance in the form of work in kind or help and advice with projects.
Maps: we hold detailed and extensive maps of Exmoor and will be pleased to help with information about rights of way, bridleways etc.
Archives: our library has many books about Exmoor, past and present, that can be inspected at our offices, plus many of our staff know the area well and may be able to help you.
National Park Centres: we have three centres throughout the National Park and they are there to help local people as well as visitors. Knowledgeable staff are on hand to offer advice if you are visiting Exmoor or have visitors to stay and need some ideas for days out.
Our Pledges
We shall endeavour:
To provide services that are of high quality and responsive to needs;
To publish regular reports on our activities so that you can be aware of our work;
To listen to your views and clearly explain our policies and decisions and reasons for them;
To answer letters within two weeks of their receipt;
To write letters in clear English;
To pay accounts within one month of receipt;
To answer all telephone calls promptly, in an efficient and helpful manner, and to arrange to call back within one working day if the person or information is not readily available;
To consider seriously all letters of complaint in accordance with a clearly set down complaints procedure and to keep the complainant informed at all times;
To respond to all Forestry Commission consultations within 28 days and all Natural England agri-environment scheme consultations within 15 working days
To determine 80% of all planning applications within 8 weeks;
To acknowledge complaints about unauthorised development within two weeks of their receipt and if appropriate investigate the unauthorised development within four weeks;
That a planning officer is available for informal discussion and advice during normal working hours in Dulverton and at a weekly surgery in Lynton.
Services We provide a wide range of services for the people of Exmoor, here are some details:
Planning
All planning applications within the National Park are determined by the Park Authority (unless they are called in by the Secretary of State) and applications are dealt with at our offices in Dulverton. Planning laws are there to ensure both rural prosperity and the protection and enhancement of the special character of Exmoor. If you need advice or are in any doubt, please contact one of our planning officers before applying for planning permission, it could save you time and expense and avoid any misunderstanding.
When your planning application is received, the Authority seeks the views of the Parish/Town and District Council and others as appropriate, e.g. the Highways Authority, Environment Agency, water companies. If your application is turned down or has a condition imposed that you consider unreasonable, you have right to appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Other people's plans
You have the right to inspect any planning application at the offices of the Park Authority or to arrange with the Clerk of your Parish/Town or District Council to inspect the copy sent to the Council. A site notice is always displayed at the site or near the location and you are entitled to write to the Authority, within the consultation period, about any application that you feel may affect you.
Local Plans
The National Park Authority is responsible for producing a Local Plan, the blueprint for the NPA's planning policies over the next ten years. The Plan has to strike the right balance between supporting the social and economic well-being of the national park communities, while at the same time providing policies to protect the park against harmful development. There is extensive consultation during the production of the plan and all objections are considered at a Public Inquiry following which formal Modifications are published for comment before the document is finalised.
Structure Plans
The National Park Authority is now also responsible for producing a Structure Plan for the National Park. This is a more strategic plan than the Local Plan and contains broader based policies over a 15 year period. The Plan will be produced in close co-operation with Somerset and Devon County Councils who were previously responsible for producing this document.
Wildlife and Countryside Management
On the Authority's staff there are a wide range of specialists who can help anyone who owns or cares for land and buildings on Exmoor. We can offer advice on the conservation and management of woodland, wildlife habitats, archaeological sites and historic buildings, walls and hedges.
Our Natural Environment Team can give advice on obtaining grants from the Authority or outside bodies and we also have management agreements with landowners over various kinds of site such as moorland, meadow and woodland.
Recreation and Access Services
We provide and manage a wide range of recreational and access opportunities for visitors and local residents, which range from car parks to public toilets and public rights of way to printed information. People come to Exmoor to enjoy a wide range of recreational activities and the Park Authority works closely with all interests to minimise the negative effects on the landscape or the local communities, but works to achieve maximum benefit for the Exmoor economy.
Information
A range of free literature about Exmoor is produced by the Park Authority and available from information centres and village agencies. By helping people to understand what is special about Exmoor, we hope to increase their enjoyment and make them aware of the landscape's fragility.
Each year the Authority produces the Exmoor Visitor which contains information about some of the Park's work and projects plus places of interest and accommodation. The paper encourages visitors to see more of Exmoor and, at least for some of their stay, to leave their car behind and use a bus or cycle. The Exmoor Visitor is widely available throughout Exmoor and surveys have shown that around two thirds of visitors read it.
Ranger Services
Our Rangers are often the people the public are most likely to meet from the National Park Authority. While their primary duties are to provide a link between the landowner, visitor and community and also to assist the public's understanding of Exmoor's special qualities, Rangers are also responsible for looking after many of the footpaths and bridleways on Exmoor. Rangers know the area well and if you have a problem or need help they will either be able to assist or will know who to go to.
HEADQUARTERS
The main Exmoor National Park offices are located in Dulverton (PDF, 78kb)