Dartmoor National Park Authority
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Business Plan and Performance
To assist our planning processes, for 2009/10 onwards the former Corporate Plan has been revised and split into two separate parts: a business plan and an annual review.
The Business Plan 2010-13 is an overview of our planned work for 2010/13. It:
The Business Plan is published in April each year.
The Annual Review 2009/10 reports on progress over the last year, highlighting our key achievements and demonstrating key aspects of the work of the Authority.
The Annual Review is published in June each year.
These two plans together provide an essential reporting link between the Authority, Government, our partners and the public, both visitors and local communities.
Previous years' plans and reviews can be viewed via the following links:
Risk
The Authority also considers the risks it faces as an organisation - both internally and externally. The Strategic Risk Register for 2010/11 
(PDF Help 163kb) is produced as a separate document to record the risks and any actions to lessen the potential impact of these. The Risk Register is reviewed and updated quarterly.
Monitoring our progress
We monitor our work through a series of performance indicators which we report in the Annual Review and also throughout the year on a quarterly basis to officers and Members. The performance indicators were revised for 2009/10 and a new performance assessment framework for National Park Authorities established.
View the quarterly report (PDF Help 58kb)
NPAPA
National Park Authorities differ from other parts of local government in that they are established as special purpose local authorities in order to care for and manage the national asset of some of the country’s finest landscapes.
The National Park Authorities Performance Assessment (NPAPA) process is intended to give each National Park Authority a better appreciation of its strengths and weaknesses in order to assist it to improve the quality of the services which it offers to the public. It will show how good the Authority’s performance is in delivering its strategic objectives, achieving its outcomes and where it can make changes to ensure `continuous improvement’ and provide best value.
In addition, Defra will wish to satisfy itself that each Authority is performing well and provides value for money for the public purse. Defra will also wish to ensure that any action proposed by the Authority will indeed lead to real improvements in service delivery.
NPAPA is planned to link into the review of each NPA’s National Park Management Plan to ensure a greater `outcome focus’ to the assessment which must take place every five years.
There is published guidance (PDF Help 63kb)for the process and the revised Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE).
NPAPA in Dartmoor
The Authority underwent the NPAPA process in 2005, with a self assessment (PDF Help 163kb) followed by a formal review and assessment report (PDF Help 156kb). This lead to an Improvement Action Plan (PDF Help 163kb), which provided a framework of activity to improve those areas of assessed “weakness” within the Authority. A final report was presented to the Audit & Governance Committee (PDF Help 75kb)in February 2009, concluding work on that action plan (PDF Help 75kb)
Our next NPAPA process will be in Spring 2011. 2010/11 will be our preparation year and a steering group has been set up to oversee the preparation process:
Members: Trevor Smale & Peter Harper;
Officers: Lorna Brown, Ali Bright & Dan Janota
Continually improving the quality of our services
All our staff will work consistently to achieve high standards and will at all times endeavor to provide a personal and helpful service to the local community and visitors. We will continually strive to improve those services and the way we operate as an organisation. We will therefore, through our Performance Management framework, monitor the effectiveness of our services and make improvements where necessary. Where that is not possible, or there are circumstances where differing views on decisions prevail, we will always provide a clear explanation and reasons for our decisions.
We are always willing to attend meetings, to listen to local views and explain the Authority’s point of view on particular issues. We will also carry out public consultation in the formulation of policies and will, where necessary, hold public meetings at which you will have the opportunity to discuss matters with Authority Members and officers. We will use the outcome of those meetings to assist with the improvement of our services. We always welcome your comments and suggestions. See Contact us and Compliments and Complaints.
Page updated 16 July 2010
