Lake District National Park staff have been told there will be redundancies following what the park authority calls ‘a major restructure’.

Managers have started consultations with unions and staff before a decision is made by members of the Lake District National Park Authority in March. Staff are being warned they will need a change in culture and additional skills.

In a press release peppered with management-speak and euphemism, the authority says it has today taken the first step towards a major restructure of the organisation aimed at delivering the goals in its new Vision and Business Plan.

It says: “Initially any changes will be at management and supervisory levels, with a wider restructure of the remainder of staff expected in the summer. These first changes will bring about redeployment opportunities for some staff.

“Unions have been advised that a handful of redundancies are anticipated.”

Chief Executive Graham Essex-Crosby accepted that [work on the restructuring] had created a degree of apprehension among the staff.

He said: “Today’s decision is about removing some of that uncertainty and giving everyone a blueprint guide as to which direction the LDNPA is heading.

“We have received tremendous praise for the way we have improved our medium term financial position and turned around the way we operate. We are committed to continuing our improvement and this is another important step along that road.”

A year ago, the Lake District National Park Authority was told by inspectors for the Audit Commission that it ‘lacked focus’ and needed to strengthen its management style to make difficult decisions. The authority was told it needed to slash £1m from its budget.

In 2005, it made the decision to close information centres at Seatoller, Pooley Bridge and Waterhead.