The National Park is administered by an Authority of 25 Members. The membership of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is set out in legislation (Environment Act 1995).
- 15 are appointed from the Local Authorities – 10 from North Yorkshire Council, three from Westmorland and Furness Council, one from Lancashire County Council and one from Lancaster City Council;
- 10 appointed by the Secretary of State, of which six are ‘national’ appointments, in recognition of the national status of the area, and four represent the parishes in the National Park.
Further details of the ‘types’ of Members is provided on the ‘How to become a Member page’.
Role of Members
The overall role of the 25 Members is to ensure the Authority fulfils National Park Purposes and does so in a way that best reflects the special qualities of the Park.
They have a duty to achieve the efficient, effective and accountable governance of the organisation in the best interests of the National Park, and to provide leadership, scrutiny and direction in pursuing the aim of sustainable development – balancing and integrating the environment, social and economic considerations.
Committee Meetings
We have a number of public committee meetings throughout the year. You can view upcoming and past meetings here.