Board Meeting - March 2023

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board meeting on 24 March 2023 at 9.30am in Grantown on Spey. The agenda includes welcoming attendees and apologies, approving minutes from the previous meeting, matters arising, declarations of interest, and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) report for information. Decision items include the Corporate Plan 2023-2027, the 2023/2024 Budget and Operational Plan, and the upcoming Board election. There will also be an outdoor access update and a motion to move to a confidential session, and the next meeting date is scheduled for 23 June 2023.

This document contains the draft minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board Meeting held on 25 November 2022. The meeting covered a range of topics, including declarations of interest from board members, updates on action points from previous meetings, and reports from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) regarding strategic work areas. The board also discussed and approved plans for sustainable tourism, strategic tourism infrastructure, and the Park Authority's response to the Future of National Parks in Scotland consultation. Additionally, the meeting included discussions on greenhouse gas emissions, the Park's progress towards net zero, and annual reports from various board committees. Finally, there was an update regarding the external audit, upcoming direct elections, and the confidential minutes of the last meeting held on 26 August 2022.

This document contains the CEO report for the Cairngorms National Park Authority, dated 24 March 2023. The report highlights strategic work areas like peatland restoration, deer and moorland management, and freshwater restoration. It covers the Nature Networks project, species recovery efforts including beaver and wildcat releases, and the Active Cairngorms Action Plan. The report details path and long-distance route improvements, ranger services, tourism infrastructure projects, and volunteering initiatives. It also outlines the Youth Action Team's activities, active travel projects, and updates on the Local Development Plan and planning casework. The report mentions support for housing delivery, the Wellbeing Economy Action Plan, and the Sustainable Tourism Action Plan. It discusses support for businesses and communities, communications initiatives like the Active Cairngorms campaign, and Cairngorms Nature events. Updates on Heritage Horizons, corporate communications, website and social media development, branding, organisational development and staffing are also provided.

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Corporate Plan for 2023 to 2027. It was prepared by Grant Moir, CEO, and presents the plan in the context of the National Park Partnership Plan 2022 to 2027. The Corporate Plan outlines the strategic priorities for the Cairngorms National Park Authority and how they will help deliver the recently approved National Park Partnership Plan. The Park Authority aims to be innovative and empower staff to deliver the strategies. The Board is asked to approve the Corporate Plan for submission to the Scottish Government, and it will be updated to reflect the new plan and discussed by the Audit & Risk Committee. The delivery of both the National Park Partnership Plan and the Corporate Plan will be reliant on close partnership working and using core funding to lever additional resources into the Cairngorms.

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Corporate Plan for 2023-2027. It explains how the Park Authority will contribute to the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan, focusing on the nature and climate crisis while aiming for a strong economy that benefits the local people. The plan revolves around three key themes: Nature, People, and Place. The Cairngorms National Park aims to be an outstanding National Park that is valued and enjoyed by everyone, where people and nature thrive together. The Park Authority is dedicated to enhancing the park, uniting people for a common goal, and inspiring new generations to become National Park champions. The document also outlines the Park's strategic context, approach, values, ways of working, performance monitoring, and the role of its board. Finally, the document provides some details on forward financial projections.

This document contains the proposed budget and operational plan for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) for the 2023/24 financial year. The focus of the budget is on core resources provided by the Scottish Government, including funding for peatland restoration, community led local development and nature recovery. The Park Authority is expecting a 21.82% increase in funding from the Scottish Government, bringing the total core income to £13.663 million. While staffing levels are expected to remain stable, there are considerations for pay awards and potential vacancy savings. The operational plan involves investment in activities related to nature, climate, and community initiatives, and investment in operational plan activities has increased by £0.602m compared with the 2022/23 budget.

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Authority's (Park Authority) Operational Plan - Annex 1, dated 24 March 2023. It details objectives and planned activities across various areas, including nature, people, and place, for the financial year 2023/24. The plan outlines direct and indirect delivery methods, identifies service leads, and allocates financial and staff resources to initiatives such as achieving net-zero emissions, woodland expansion, peatland restoration, deer and moorland management, gamebird and fire management, and promoting sustainable farming. It also addresses community development, Gaelic language and culture, mental and physical health, tourism, accessibility, and visitor experiences, as well as organizational and communication strategies.

This document contains a notice regarding the upcoming board election of the Convener, Deputy Convener, and Committee Chairs for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. It confirms the end of business continuity arrangements related to standing orders and proposes changes. The board will be asked to agree to suspend business continuity adaptations, note proposed amendments to standing orders, and agree to arrangements for elections for the Board Convener, Deputy Convener, and Committee Chairs at the next formal board meeting on 23 June 2023. The Board Convener will step down effective 31 July 2023, and there will be at least two Chair vacancies on Board Committees starting 1 April. It also recommends that elections continue via postal ballot.

This document contains the minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority board meeting held on 24 March 2023. During the meeting, the board welcomed new members, agreed on the minutes from the previous meeting on 25 November 2022, and discussed updates on action points from that prior meeting. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) gave a report, and board members discussed topics such as cost implications for the Braemar to Keiloch path, efforts to diversify the Park's economy, support for local businesses, benefits of living in the Cairngorms National Park and concerns that funding needs to be spread more throughout the Park as residents in Donside are feeling neglected. The Cairngorms National Park Authority Corporate Plan 2023-2027 was introduced and discussed, covering topics such as holding board meetings elsewhere in the Park and concerns that a cultural heritage network will not get watered down as part of the Wellbeing Economy Action Plan. The Board approved the Cairngorms National Park Authority (NPA) Corporate Plan for 2023 - 2027 for submission to the Scottish Government. The 2023/2024 budget and operational plan were also discussed and approved, and the board was notified of the upcoming elections for Convener, Deputy Convener, and Committee Chairs. Lastly, the board agreed to suspend certain business continuity measures and discussed voting arrangements. The next meeting is scheduled for 23 June in person.