OFFICIALS of the Yorkshire Dales National Park were today (November 8) involved in key negotiations with a top Government civil servant which could give the park authority wider powers to influence social and economic life in the Dales.

They were making their case to Richard Pullen, a visiting Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs civil servant, who is leading a DEFRA review of English national parks.

Park chairman Steve Macaré, commented: "We have a great body of expertise within national park authorities, exceptional links at a local, regional and national level, which would allow us to make a real contribution to the development of rural policy and programmes in the coming years.

"To achieve this, the clear links between social, economic and environmental issues must be recognised by the current review."