How authorities plan to tackle rural issues in Peak District

The National Park Authority and Derbyshire Constabulary have made a new agreement to tackle rural issues in the Peak District.

The two organisations will work together to 'support a safe home and welcoming place for people and wildlife in the Peak District National Park'.

A new Memorandum of Understanding between the Peak District National Park Authority and Derbyshire Constabulary will see both organisations come together to work on co-ordinated efforts to tackle rural and wildlife crime and other issues in the UK’s original national park.

Also working with Community Safety Partnerships and Police & Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire Angelique Foster, the new agreement recognises the distinct roles and responsibilities of the two bodies, but also how collaborative working can benefit both local communities and visitors to the area.

The National Park Authority holds regular ‘summit’ meetings with Derbyshire Constabulary and other forces represented across the Peak District, however the MoU is the first formal agreement of its kind with any of the regional forces working within the Peak District.

The Peak District has a range of complex policing challenges ranging from wildlife crime affecting some of the area’s rare species, through to addressing the balance of managing millions of annual visitors to often hugely popular locations along with over 38,000 residents and hundreds of local businesses.

The new agreement, along with the continuation of regular summits will identify activities where coordinated efforts can bring the most impact; such as engagement with campaigns like #PeakDistrictProud encouraging positive visiting across issues like litter, parking and wild fires. It will help address wildlife crimes such as bird of prey

persecution, theft of birds eggs and young, hare coursing, badger persecution and poaching.

Joint communications to the public, incident reporting procedures and ongoing liaison with other police forces also underpin the memorandum. Operational and tactical crime matters will remain with Derbyshire Constabulary as the lead body, with the National Park Authority providing support where beneficial.

Sarah Fowler, outgoing chief executive of Peak District National Park Authority.