New Forest National Park Authority Agenda 15 October 2026

To: All members of the New Forest National Park Authority
Date: 7 October 2026

NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY

THURSDAY 15 OCTOBER 2026

A meeting of the New Forest National Park Authority will be held on Thursday 15 October 2026 at 10.00am in the Council Chamber, NFDC, Appletree Court, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, SO43 7PA

Please note that the Part I meeting will be live streamed and video recorded.

Part I of the meeting will be open to the Press and public.

Alison Barnes
Chief Executive/National Park Officer

AGENDA

PART I

1. Election of Chair and Deputy Chair of the Authority

   An election will take place to fill both positions until the Annual Authority meeting in 2027.

2. Apologies for absence

3. Declarations of interest

   Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in relation to items on the agenda for this meeting. (NB. When verbally declaring interests, members are also asked to complete the Disclosure of Interests at Meetings form).

4. Chair’s announcements

5. Minutes - to approve as a correct record the minutes of the Authority meeting held on 23 July 2026.

6. Public Question Time

   The Chair will allow members of the public to ask questions make statements or present a petition on any matter on the agenda for this meeting or on any matter that falls within the Authority’s powers, subject to the procedures set out in Schedule 3 to the Authority’s Standing Orders.

   Any member of the public who wishes to address the meeting under this item should notify Vicki Gibbon (contact details at the end of this agenda) not less than two clear working days before the commencement of the meeting (i.e. by 5.00 pm on the Monday preceding the meeting) and indicate in what capacity he or she would like to speak, together with a contact telephone number.

7. Chief Executive’s Report (AM 746/26)

   This key report summarises progress of delivery of our National Park purposes and duty since the preceding Authority meeting. This is delivered through the Business Plan / Work Programme overarching themes of:

   • Re:New Climate – Net Zero with Nature
   • Re:New Nature – Nature Recovery
   • Re:New People – An Inclusive National Park
   • Re:New Place – Thriving Forest
   • Re:New Partnership – Team New Forest
   • Re:New Organisation – Achieving Excellence

8. Oral Report from Resources, Audit and Performance Committee – 7 September 2026

9. Appointment of Committees (AM 747/26)

10. Election of Chair and Deputy Chair on Authority Committees

    Elections will take place to determine the Chair and Deputy Chair on all Authority Committees; Planning Committee, Resources, Audit and Performance Committee and Standards Committee until the Annual Authority meeting in 2027. All members will vote on these positions.

11. Appointments of Authority Representatives on External Organisations (AM 748/26)

12. NPUK Conference Oral Update

13. Vernon Dene Update (AM 749/26)

14. Date of next meeting – Thursday 28 January 2027 at 10.00 am – Council Chamber, Appletree Court, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7PA

PART II ITEMS WHICH MAY BE TAKEN IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC ON THE GROUNDS THAT EXEMPTED INFORMATION MAY BE DISCLOSED

Members are asked to resolved that the public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during this item, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 and Paragraph 5, Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, namely the need to avoid disclosing sensitive information relating to the Authority’s financial and business affairs.

15. Capital Projects Updates (AM 750/26)

MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO SIGN THE ATTENDANCE REGISTER

Membership: John Adams, Gordon Bailey, Fran Carpenter, Richard Clewer, Zoe Clewer, Mary Davies, Jack Davies, Martin Eyre, David Harrison, Victoria Mander, Ella Mason, George Meyrick, Adarsh Parekh, Dan Poole, Caroline Rackham, Joe Reilly, Barry Rickman, Ann Sevier, Brice Stratford, Derek Tipp, Steve Trow, and James Wylor-Owen.

Details of the decisions taken at this meeting will be circulated in the formal minutes which the Authority will be asked to approve as a correct record at its next meeting.

For further information on any of the reports for this meeting, details of decisions taken, or future meetings, please contact Vicki Gibbon.

(Tel. 01590 646647, email vicki.gibbon@newforestnpa.gov.uk)

If you would like a copy of this agenda in large print, Braille or any alternative language or format, or if you wish to attend the meeting and have special requirements, please contact Vicki Gibbon on vicki.gibbon@newforestnpa.gov.uk or 01590 646647.