New Forest National Park Authority's funding cut

Government money for the New Forest National Park Authority is being cut by 21.5% over the next four years.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the annual grant would be cut from £4m this financial year to £3.1m by 2014/15.

The park authority said it had been expecting the announcement.

Authority chairman Julian Johnson said the organisation was already looking into the possibility of moving to Lymington Town Hall to save money.

He said: "Now we know what our settlement is we can plan the best way of dealing with the cuts from April 2011.

"We have, for a while now, been looking at ways we can do things better or differently, including how we can generate income to support projects for the Forest.

"One area where we have already made significant savings is our forthcoming move to Lymington Town Hall with New Forest District Council."