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Finance

Funding and accounts

Most of our funding comes from the Government via the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the form of an annual national park grant settlement. We also attract significant external funding and generate our own income from a variety of other sources such as other grants (including EU), interest earned on cash balances, planning application fee income, car park charges and retail services through our National Park Visitor Centres.

Our accounts are prepared in line with appropriate accounting standards and practices and have a reporting period from 1 April to 31 March in the following year. Following completion, accounts are subject to audit by external auditors who work in conjunction with the Authority’s own internal auditors to form an opinion on the accounts, systems and management arrangements of the Authority. This is included in the statement of accounts along with details of where our money comes from and how it is spent. We are required to have the audited statement of accounts approved by 31 July following the end of the financial year.

The Authority prepares a rolling three year financial plan which is reviewed annually by management and approved by the Authority prior to the start of the following financial year.

The budgets and statements of final account can be downloaded using the links provided.

Financial regulations

The National Park Authority’s Financial Regulations apply to all of the Authority’s activities. They form an integral part of the procedural and control framework within which Members and officers can ensure that the best standards of financial management and administration are applied in the discharge of the Authority’s statutory duties. The Financial Regulations form part of our Constitution.

Budgets

Statement of Accounts

The external audit of the draft statement of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 has not yet been completed by our external auditor, EY LLP, due to the planned phased approach to delivering the 2021/22 audits in light of a variety of complex factors contributing to audit delays in previous years. This situation is allowed for by Regulation 10, paragraph (2a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (Link to the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 here). Therefore, this notification explains, as per paragraph (2a), that we are not yet able to publish our audited 2021/22 final statement of accounts in line with the deadline of 30 November 2022, as per paragraph (1). The Finance and Resource Committee will consider the final results of the 2021/22 audit, after which we will publish the final audited accounts.

The external audit of the draft statement of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 has not yet been completed by our external auditors, EY LLP, due to the complex set of factors contributing to audit delays across the sector. This situation is allowed for by Regulation 10, paragraph (2a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015. (See attached link: The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)). Therefore, this notification explains, as per paragraph (2a), that we are not yet able to publish our audited 2022/23 final statement of accounts in line with deadline of 30th September 2023, as per paragraph (1). The Finance and Resources Committee will consider the results of the 2022/23 audit, after which we will publish the final audited accounts.

Members Allowances and Expenses

A Scheme of Members’ Allowances sets out the range of allowances and expenses available to Members of the Authority and the independent members of the Standards Committee during the course of their work for the Authority.

Details of the allowances and expenses that have been paid to Members can be downloaded using the links provided.