MP uses meeting with Deputy Prime Minister to call for National Park elections pilot

South Lakes Tim Farron MP has used a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to call for the Lake District to be a pilot scheme for direct elections to the governing bodies of the National Parks.

Tim represents large parts of two of Britain's most important national parks, the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Tim yesterday met with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and asked if a pilot scheme on direct elections could be tried in the South Lakes.

At present no-one on the national park boards is directly elected. Tim feels it is high time that this is changed.

Commenting Tim said:

"Our National Parks should be democratically accountable - they should not be able to get away with opting not to be open to election. I made that argument strongly to Nick and asked to trail the idea in the South Lakes and he then can see for himself how successful it is. The communities in the Lakes and the Dales that are affected by national park decisions are entitled to have their say over how those decisions are made. We can save money and make them accountable to local people in one simple stroke."