Board Meeting - November 2024

This document contains the formal board agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority meeting on 22 November 2024 at 10am in Grantown on Spey. The agenda includes items for welcome and apologies, approval of previous meeting minutes, matters arising, declarations of interest, a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) report and convener update, discussion on a Wellbeing Economy Action Plan, and the Local Development Plan Scheme 2024. Furthermore, the agenda includes the review of board standing orders, Active Cairngorms and end of season visitor report, corporate plan delivery update, the Audit and Risk Committee annual report, minutes from committee meetings and the date of the next meeting, scheduled for 28 March 2025.

This document contains the draft minutes of the Formal Board Meeting held at the Cairngorms National Park Authority office on 13 September 2024. The meeting covered several topics, including the approval of minutes from previous meetings, updates on action points, and discussions on the CEO report, the National Park Partnership Plan, and the Seasonal Fire Management Byelaw. The board also discussed updates to the Park Authority's Code of Conduct, the election of a Planning Committee Deputy Convener, and the Cairngorms Nature Action Plan 2019 – 2024 final report. Key action items included CEO follow-up on NatureScot enforcement powers, circulation of a carbon footprint report, and consideration of planning committee minutes inclusion in future papers. The next meeting is scheduled for 22 November 2024.

This document contains the CEO Report and Convener Update for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) from November 2024. It highlights the strategic work areas, including nature and climate change initiatives like peatland restoration, the Cairngorms Agricultural Advisory Group (CAAG), and deer management. There is also a focus on visitor services and active travel, detailing improvements to paths, ranger services, visitor infrastructure, and promotion of volunteering and health walks. Updates are provided on planning and rural development, including the Local Development Plan and planning casework, as well as community and stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, and website and social media efforts. The document also includes staffing updates, youth employment initiatives, and the adoption of new equality policies. The Convener's update summarizes meetings and events attended, focusing on affordable housing, discussions with government officials, and participation in national park conferences and summits.

This document contains information about the Wellbeing Economy Action Plan for the Cairngorms National Park. The Board is being asked to approve the plan, which aims to support the economic strategy outlined in the National Park Partnership Plan. The Wellbeing Economy Action Plan will help partners to collaborate and coordinate their efforts in three priority areas to improve the economy in the National Park, while avoiding duplicating other strategies. The plan will focus on specific actions that partners can control, and the Park Authority will facilitate meetings and gather information to support its delivery, reporting annually on its progress and added value to the National Park.

This document contains a draft of the Cairngorms Wellbeing Economy Action Plan 2024. It explains that the Scottish Government defines a wellbeing economy as a society that thrives across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022-27 sets out a strategy for building such an economy in the National Park, with long-term outcomes for nature, people, and place. The plan identifies priority areas for collaboration, including business support, skills and training, and community enterprise, and highlights existing actions under the National Park Partnership Plan that provide a starting point for this work.

This document contains a request for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board to agree to the updated Development Plan Scheme 2024. This scheme is a communications tool that lets people know how to get involved in preparing the next Local Development Plan and keeps them informed. The Park Authority must submit a Development Plan Scheme to Scottish Ministers each year. The document details the strategic context, scope, and timetable of the Development Plan Scheme, noting that it has been updated from the previous version due to a greater volume of work and vacant staff posts. The Development Plan Scheme sets out the timetable for preparing the next Local Development Plan and a Participation Statement that describes how the public will be consulted. The Park Authority will keep the Board updated on the plan's progress and will publish the scheme on their website, in local libraries, and send copies to community councils and Scottish Ministers.

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Authority's (Park Authority) Development Plan Scheme for November 2024. It explains how the Park Authority is working with local authorities to manage planning within the National Park. It highlights upcoming changes to the development plan system and how the next Local Development Plan will be prepared and used. The document sets out how communities and stakeholders can participate in creating Local Place Plans, updating the timetable since July 2023. It also contains the contact details for the planning team.

This document contains a paper for the Cairngorms National Park Authority board, dated 22 November 2024, regarding an update to the Park Authority's Standing Orders, which govern how the board and its committees operate. The paper explains that the Standing Orders were last reviewed in 2019, and since then, interim changes have been made to accommodate new working methods and technological advancements. The update also reflects revisions to the Park Authority's Code of Conduct, aligning it with the Standards Commission for Scotland's new model. The board is asked to consider the proposed changes to the Standing Orders and approve them to ensure effective governance and mitigate legal risks. Annexes to the document provide details of the proposed amendments and a final version of the updated Standing Orders.

This document contains the standing orders for meetings of the Cairngorms National Park Authority (NPA). The document details the procedures for meetings of the board and its committees, adding to requirements already set out in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, the founding designation order, and any guidance from Scottish Ministers. It covers NPA membership, the election process for the Convener and Deputy Convener, quorum requirements, participation guidelines, meeting schedules, board papers, members' issues and questions, convening meetings, board decisions, declaration of interests, personal liability of members, corporate responsibility, confidentiality, board minutes, committees, delegation of functions, and suspension/amendments of standing orders. It also includes information on access to meetings and documents, and the tie-break procedure for elections.

This document contains the standing orders for meetings of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. It outlines the procedures for board meetings and committee meetings, including the establishment of the board, membership details, the election process for the Convener and Deputy Convener, quorums, scheduling, public attendance, board papers, decision-making, declaration of interests, and board minutes. It also covers the establishment and operation of committees, delegation of functions, and how standing orders can be amended or suspended. Finally, the document includes an annex detailing the procedures for tie-breaks in elections.

This document contains an active Cairngorms and end of season visitor report for the Cairngorms National Park (National Park). Prepared for the Board on 22 November 2024, it provides an overview of the Active Cairngorms Action Plan, which complements the Sustainable Tourism and Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Plans. The report highlights the progress of the plan's objectives, particularly concerning nature, people, and place, and outlines the roles of the Park Authority and partner ranger services in managing visitor activities during the summer season. The board is asked to note the progress towards delivery of the plan and the visitor focused activities by the Park Authority and partner ranger services during the 2024 summer season. The plan aims to make the National Park easier and safer for people to enjoy and includes the progress of managing for visitors, minimising impacts on sensitive species, ranger services, public health, volunteer Cairngorms, youth and outdoor learning, and paths, trails and outdoor access duties. In the summer of 2024, the Park Authority employed 11 seasonal rangers and four trainee rangers in addition to the five permanent rangers and also supports 14 ranger services with consistent training and messaging.

This document contains an action plan delivery overview for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. It includes key objectives, measurable outputs, delivery periods and notes on 2024 delivery, covering a variety of topics. The action plan focuses on managing visitors responsibly, minimizing impacts on sensitive species and habitats, promoting public health and outdoor activities, enhancing volunteer opportunities, engaging young people in outdoor learning, and improving paths and trails throughout the National Park.

This document contains ranger patrol data for 2024 in the Cairngorms National Park. The Cairngorms National Park Authority Ranger Service has five full-time Countryside Rangers, eleven Seasonal Rangers and four Trainee Rangers, with 14 site-based ranger services operating across the park, consisting of over 50 rangers in total. Rangers collect data on visitor activity, which is used to monitor visitor pressure, distribute resources, identify hot spots, and inform visitor infrastructure planning. This data is shared with the Managing for Visitors Group and national groups, with a red, amber, green (RAG) rating system used to report visitor management pressures to the Scottish Government. The document also provides patrol data statistics, including engagements, negative engagements, tents, overnight campervans, dogs on and off lead, fires/BBQs, and litter, for both the Cairngorms National Park Authority Ranger Service and partner ranger services at key visitor hotspot locations.

This document contains a corporate plan delivery update for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) that sets out the organisation's planned contributions toward achievement of the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan. The document presents the Park Authority's draft annual report and accounts to the board, including a performance report that overviews the Park Authority's performance against strategic objectives. The board is asked to note the draft annual accounts, the status of delivery toward corporate plan objectives, and to consider any actions needed to address delivery risks. Most strategic objectives are on track for completion by March 2027, while updates on elements assessed at a heightened delivery risk are provided, including gamebird management, species recovery, working age population, and access to housing.

This document contains the draft annual report and accounts for 2023/24 from the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The report highlights the authority's performance, strategic aims, and financial results for the year, noting that it is the 19th year of operation. Key areas covered include the performance overview, key personnel, strategic priorities, financial performance, and operating performance. It also includes sections dedicated to strategic delivery, financial resources, human resources, and technical issues. The report details achievements in woodland expansion, peatland restoration, and the reintroduction of beavers, along with efforts in community engagement, active travel, and tourism infrastructure. It emphasises the authority's commitment to sustainable development, climate action, and equality, as well as how it manages risk and governance.

This document contains the annual report of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Cairngorms National Park Authority, presented to the Board on 22 November 2024. The report covers the period from September 2023 to September 2024 and highlights the committee's activities in overseeing risk management, internal controls, and governance. Key activities included risk management, detailed risk analysis, risk training, and accounting policy reviews. The committee reviewed internal and external audit reports, addressed procurement weaknesses, and monitored progress on action plans. The report also discusses the strategic risk register and the committee's role in ensuring the Cairngorms 2030 Programme's risk management. The external auditors have committed to completing their work and sign their audit certificate for the accounts for 2023 / 24 in time for the 31 December statutory deadline for accounts to be laid in Parliament. Overall, the committee believes it has successfully progressed the Board's governance and internal control priorities.

This document contains the Board Committee minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority, dated 13 September 2024. Prepared by Karen Johnstone and Alix Harkness, Clerks to the Board, the paper presents minutes from meetings held between 14 June 2024 and 9 August 2024, including those of the Performance Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, and Resources Committee. It also presents the confidential minutes for the Audit and Risk Committee, and the Resources Committee. The Board is asked to note the minutes and confidential minutes of these committees.

This document contains the minutes from three meetings of the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority). The first meeting, held on 14 June 2024, was of the Performance Committee, where updates were given on the 'Bringing back beaver's' project, the Cairngorms 2030 programme, the delivery of statutory duties under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, the Cairngorms and Glenmore Strategy 2016, and the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project. The second meeting, held on 21 June 2024, was of the Audit and Risk Committee, where the Internal Audit Annual Report 2023/24, an External Audit update, the Procurement Action Plan, Governance Actions related to the Code of Conduct, and Risk Registers were discussed. Finally, the third meeting, held on 9 August 2024, was of the Resource Committee, where budget monitoring, the equal pay audit, and a review of the Park Authority's values and culture were considered.

This document contains the formal board meeting minutes for the Cairngorms National Park Authority held on 22 November 2024. The meeting covered a range of topics, including updates on action points from previous meetings, a review of the Wellbeing Economy Action Plan, discussion on the Local Development Plan Scheme for 2024, a review of Board Standing Orders, an end-of-season visitor report, a Corporate Plan Delivery Update, and the Audit and Risk Committee annual report. The board also discussed minutes from various committee meetings and set the date for the next meeting as 14 February 2025.