Services will be cut in the national park after the Government grant announcement. Photo: Snowdonia National Park Authority

A cut in the Government grant to a Welsh national park means it will have to make compulsory redundancies.

Snowdonia authority learnt it will receive 5 per cent less from the Cardiff administration this year.

Members today approved steps to deal with a cut of £423,000 in the coming financial year. Car parking charges will be raised, work on access and biodiversity will be slashed and a tourist information centre closed.

Snowdonia National Park Authority said its budget, through cuts and inflation over the past 10 years, has lost 40 per cent of its cash value. An authority spokesperson said: “In contrast to the situation in Wales, the national parks in England have received an increase of 1.72 per cent in their settlement, and their budgets have been protected for the next four years.

“This will enable them to make mid- and long-term plans. This cannot be done in Wales.”

Vacant posts will not be filled; the authority will seek early retirement and voluntary redundancies from staff; Dolgellau tourist office will close and spending on woodland, listed buildings and archaeology will be reduced. Planning fees will rise.

There will also have to be compulsory redundancies.

Snowdonia national park chief executive Emyr Williams. Photo: Alan Dop

Chief executive Emyr Williams said: “Being given notice of a budget’s content so late in the day makes working on such an unpleasant task much harder.

“The draft budget received from the Welsh Government indicates a 5 per cent cut for the next financial year, and for a small authority which attracts a core grant of £5m, these cuts are very difficult to achieve.

“We have already looked at all areas of our work and have made several very difficult decisions, including increasing income, changing staff conditions, not filling vacancies, accepting voluntary resignations as well as making redundancies.

“We now however, have to consider reducing our level of service, which in turn, will inevitably make it necessary to make more staff redundant.”

The Snowdonia authority said a decision was made to hold discussions with possible potential partners to explore alternative provision for visitors to Dolgellau.

It added the Welsh Government will publish the final budget for 2016 on 1 March.