Resources Committee - January 2025

This document contains the agenda for the Resources Committee meeting of the Cairngorms National Park Authority on 24 January 2025. The meeting will cover topics such as budget monitoring, the development of the 2025/26 budget, and a review of the personal use of social media policy. The agenda also includes information on the Health and Safety Committee minutes, the Staff Consultative Forum minutes, the Resources Committee Annual Report, a discussion on the Chief Executive Officer's proposed pay award and a report on staff turnover in 2024. The next meeting is scheduled for 16 May 2025.

This document contains the draft minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Resources Committee meeting held online on 4 October 2024. The meeting covered topics such as updates on peatland restoration grants, a review of the Park Authority's budget management position, and discussions around potential funding cuts from the Scottish Government. Board members also requested access to policies and handbooks, and there was a motion to protect the confidentiality of staff pay negotiations. The next meeting is scheduled for 24 January 2025.

This document contains the budget monitoring report for the Cairngorms National Park Authority's (Park Authority) Resources Committee, dated 24 January 2025. Prepared by Louise Allen, Head of Finance and Corporate Operations, the report reviews the Park Authority's budget management as of the end of November, which is month eight of the 2024/25 financial year. The report details expenditure on core activities, budget reallocations, and highlights that the projected outturn is within budget, while also identifying risks related to Active Travel projects within the Cairngorms 2030 (C2030) programme and the unallocated portion of the 2024/25 peatland restoration budget. The Resources Committee is asked to consider the budget management position for 2024/25.

This document contains a summary of expenditure against the profiled budget for the year ending 31 March 2025, with actual figures compared to the budget as of 30 November 2024. It details the annual budget, any adjustments, the revised budget, the phased budget up to 30 November 2024, the actual expenditure as of that date, the variance (under or over spending), and the percentage of outturn forecast. The summary includes figures for board fees, staff costs, running costs, operational plan (net), total expenditure, other income, cash expenditure, grant-in-aid drawn down, and net cash expenditure/income.

This document contains a log of budget changes for the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Resources Committee, dated 24 January 2025. It details adjustments to various budget lines, including staff costs, operational plans, and contributions to initiatives like Cairngorms 2030. A contract extension for an intern on the Capercaillie project, reallocations for the Nature Restoration funding gap, and funding for the Active Travel project are noted. Ultimately, these adjustments aim to refine budget allocations without significantly altering the overall budget for the year.

This document contains a report for the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Resources Committee, discussing the development of the 2025/26 budget. The paper provides an overview of the draft budget position, including income and expenditure, and compares it against the approved budget from March 2024. It details funding from the Scottish Government, including allocations for resource and capital funding, and peatland restoration. It also highlights key considerations such as staff costs, running costs, and contributions to the Cairngorms 2030 (C2030) programme and includes planned nature restoration projects. The Committee is invited to review the budget and provide feedback, as well as to discuss potential budget reallocations.

This document contains budget risks for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The document outlines several risks, including uncertainty in funding for nature restoration and Community Led Local Development, as well as potential impacts on staff costs and vacancy savings. It also discusses risks related to the climate adaptation fund, running costs, and the C2030 programme, along with mitigation strategies and budget allocations for both the 2024/25 and 2025/26 periods.

This document contains a social media policy for staff and board members at the Cairngorms National Park Authority. It explains the expectations for personal use of social media, emphasizing the importance of balancing online presence with their role in the organisation and being mindful of how their online activity may be perceived by others. The policy covers managing personal social media accounts, including privacy settings, responsible online behaviour, and avoiding conflicts with the organisation's work and reputation. It also provides guidance on minimising risks, outlining do's and don'ts for social media use, and highlights associated policies and resources.

This document contains the minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Health and Safety Committee meeting on 31 October 2024. The meeting covered a review of previous actions, updates to driving at work policies (including staff concerns and DVLA certificate requirements), a new staff driver log for new employees, and mandatory driver training for key roles. The committee also discussed changes to the Equality Act and the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace, as well as updates to accident and incident reporting. Additionally, there were discussions about green health safeguarding processes, peatland team matters, and facilities issues like fire alarms and the storage of fixed blade sheath knives. The document concludes with action logs from this and previous meetings, detailing responsible parties and the status of each action item.

This document contains the draft minutes from the Staff Consultative Forum held on 16 September 2024 and 28 October 2024, as part of the Paper 5 Resources Committee for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. Key discussion points included updates to the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy, Dignity at Work Policy, Fertility Treatment Policy, and Menstrual Health and Endometriosis Support Policy. The forum also discussed a verbal update on the pay award for 2024/25, health and safety, leadership, and equalities. Additional topics covered were flexi-time to support travel carbon footprint reduction, and changes to the Equalities Act 2010 regarding sexual harassment in the workplace.

This document contains the Resources Committee annual report for the Cairngorms National Park Authority, presented to its members for comment before being shared with the full board. The report covers the period from November 2023 to October 2024, summarizing the committee's activities, which included budget monitoring, risk management, staff engagement, and health and safety operations. The committee sought assurance over key aspects of the Park Authority's operations and addressed financial changes due to budget controls, and concluded that they successfully discharged their responsibilities, providing valuable governance and assurance. The committee did not identify any necessary changes to its operations for the coming year and the committee appreciates the support of officers throughout the year.