Resources Committee - January 2024

This document contains the draft minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Resource Committee meeting, held on 10 November 2023. Key items included approving the minutes from the previous meeting, budget monitoring for the 2023/24 financial year (including discussion of a potential underspend in peatland restoration), reviewing the estimated outturn position for 2022/23, and reviewing the draft Annual Report to the Board. Lauren MacCallum was nominated and accepted the role of Vice Chair of the Resources Committee. The committee also discussed the Staff Consultative Forum Minutes and the Health & Safety Committee Meeting Minutes, with an action arising to purchase a defibrillator for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Grantown Office. The next meeting is scheduled for 26 January 2024.

This document contains an overview of the Cairngorms National Park Authority's budget management position at the end of November 2023, which is month eight of the 2023/24 financial year. The Resources Committee is asked to consider the budget management position for 2023/24. Overall cash expenditure is within budget, with 47% of the annual budget spent and 60% of the annual budget committed or spent on operational plan activities. There remains £2.5m to be committed in the final quarter of the year. There have been some changes to funding availability and pressure on the budget for staff costs remains but might improve with recruitment delays. Expenditure on operational plan activities is expected to be in line with budget, except for peatland restoration projects, and a peak of expenditure will occur in the final quarter of the year.

This document contains an update on the Cairngorms National Park Authority's budget position for 2024/25, prepared by Louise Allen, Head of Finance and Corporate Operations. It provides an overview of the draft budget, including income and expenditure, and highlights key assumptions and estimates. The document notes an increase in grant-in-aid from the Scottish Government, as well as potential income from planning fees and bank interest. It also details staffing levels, pay considerations, and inflationary impacts, and running costs. The Resources Committee is invited to review the budget position and provide feedback before the budget proposals are presented to the full board in March.

This document contains the minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Health and Safety meeting held on 28 September 2023. Key discussion points included issues with O2 mobile coverage following a network change, the appropriate use of the PeopleSafe system and Buddy System for lone worker safety, and updates on risk assessments. An action log details tasks arising from the meeting, such as exploring solutions to the O2 coverage problems and reviewing the Buddy System and also actions outstanding from previous meetings.

This document contains the minutes of the Resource Committee meeting held at Cairngorms National Park Authority and virtually on 26 January 2024. During the meeting, the minutes from the previous meeting on 10 November 2023 were approved, and the committee discussed purchasing a defibrillator for the Grantown office. Louise Allen, Head of Finance and Corporate Operations, presented a paper on the Park Authority's budget management position for the 2023/24 financial year, and the committee considered the budget position for 2024/25. The committee also discussed the pressure on the ranger service due to potential budget changes. Lastly, the committee discussed health and safety matters, specifically the safety of staff members with remote jobs, and noted the actions being taken to mitigate risks. The next meeting is scheduled for 17 May 2024.