Finance and Operational Policies
In addition to the policies and procedures related to the long-term and day-to-day management of the national park, the policies below relate to how the Authority itself is run.
Code of Corporate Governance
Governance is about how local government bodies ensure that they are doing the right things, in the right way, for the right people, in a timely, inclusive, open, honest and accountable way. The Authority has agreed a Code of Corporate Governance which sets out what we will do to achieve this and follows the principles and framework recommended for local government.
Each year the Authority is required to review its performance against this Code so that we can continuously improve our effectiveness and address any weakness highlighted. In doing this we take into account feedback and reports from independent advisors like our internal and external auditors and the local government ombudsman.
This review feeds into our Annual Governance Statement (AGS) which we are required to produce each year by the end of May to accompany the production of the final accounts. This statement highlights action we are going to take to improve our governance arrangements. We publish the version of our AGS which has not yet been audited by the deadline of 31 May. We then publish the version which has been audited and approved by our Members in July.
- Code of Corporate Governance
- Review of performance against Code for 2023/2024 [May 2024]
- Annual Governance Statement 2023/24
[Draft, Un-Audited version May 2024] - Review of Progress Against 2022/23 AGS Issues
Other policies
- Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy [updated July 2020] (197KB)
- CCTV Usage Good Practice Guidelines V2.1 [April 2023] (312KB)
- Complaints procedure - link opens Complaints Procedure page of website
- Confidential reporting policy [amended April 2021] (181KB)
- Data Protection Policy V1.2 [August 2023] (392KB)
- Data Breach Notification Process V1.1 [September 2020] (770KB)
- Policy on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion [May 2021] (412kb)
- Freedom of information - link opens Freedom of Information page of website
- Information Management Policies Framework V5.0 [March 2023] (2MB)
- Pension Scheme Discretions Policy [May 2019] (309KB)
- Retention Schedule V2.5 [May 2018] (901KB)
- Occupational Health and Safety Policy [2024] (230KB)
- Safeguarding Policy [July 2023] (108KB)
Performance and Business Plan
- Performance and Business Plan (including archives) - link to the Performance and Business Plan page of the website.
Budget 2024-2025
Our budget for the financial year (starting on 1st April) is formally approved, in advance, by Members at February’s Authority Meeting. It sets out the resources expected to be available and how those resources are to be spent in the forthcoming year. Prior to the presentation of this report a number of financial planning reports may be taken to earlier Authority meetings
- Budget Report 2024-25 and Medium Term Financial Plan to 2027-28 (306KB)
- Appendix 1 - Budget report (901KB)
- Appendix 1 v2 - Capital Budget (146KB)
- Appendix 2 - Explanation of Appendix 1 (249KB)
- Appendix 2 v2 - Capital Programme (146KB)
- Appendix 3 - Capital Strategy (428KB)
- Budget Report Appendix 5 (432KB)
Budget Archive
- Budget Report 2020-2021 (364KB)
- Budget Report 2019-2020 (164KB)
- Budget Report 2018-2019 (180KB)
- Budget Report 2017-2018 (348KB)
Outturns 2023-2024
The outturn report shows the actual income and expenditure position at the end of the financial year (31 March) and is reported to the Authority Meeting in the May/June meeting following the end of the financial year.
- Outturn Report 2023-2034 (454KB)
- Outturns Appendix A - Variance Analysis (832KB)
- Outturns Appendix B - Outturn (713KB)
- Outturns Appendix C - Reserves (1MB)
- Outturns Appendix D - Capital Outturn (184KB)
Treasury Management Policy and Prudential Code Indicators
This report is approved by Members at the March Authority Meeting in advance of the financial year starting on 1 April and sets out the parameters within which the Authority’s investing and borrowing activities will be conducted in the forthcoming year.
- Annual Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2024 (308KB)
- Appendix 1 (515KB)
Accounts
2023-2024 Statement of Accounts
The Authority is required to produce a Statement of Accounts as at the end of March each year. These Accounts represent a true and fair view of the Authority's financial position at the end of the financial year, give details of income and expenditure within the year and are certified by the Authority's Chief Finance Officer. The draft unaudited Statement of Accounts are published by the deadline of 31st May. The version which has been audited and approved by Members will be published by the end of November.
- Draft Statement of Accounts
2023-2024 Audit letter – Delay in issuing the Auditor’s Annual Report for 2023/24
Accounts archive
- Statement of Accounts 2022/2023 (906KB)
- Statement of Accounts 2021/2022 (865KB)
- Statement of Accounts 2020/2021 (9MB)
- Statement of Accounts 2019/2020 (1.7MB)
- Statement of Accounts 2018/2019 (4.12MB)
- Statement of Accounts 2017/2018 (1.40MB)