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(DRAFT -12/12/03) 
MINUTES OF THE PARK GATEWAYS AND INFORMATION WORKING GROUP
MEETING
5pm, Thursday 6th November 2003 
Broomhill, Newtonmore 

Present 
Andrew Rafferty CNPA Board 
Gregor Rimell CNPA Board 
Miranda Whitcomb CNPA Strategic Policy Officer 
Bob Wilson CNPA Board 

Apologies 
David Selfridge CNPA Board 

In attendance 
Andrew Thin CNPA Board 

Introduction 


1. Miranda Whitcomb (MW) welcomed everyone to the meeting, noting her new role as 
Strategic Policy Officer. MW explained that her new post will mainly consist of coordinating 
the outputs of the Park Gateways and Information Working Group, under the 
guidance of its members.
 
2. She explained that the purpose of the meeting was to select a Chair, discuss a National 
Park visitor’s information needs, confirm the provisional outputs and short-term 
objectives of the Working Group, and to identify external interests to be invited onto the 
Group. 


Selection of a Chair 

3. Due to a member of the Group being absent, the decision to choose a Chair was deferred ALL 
until the next meeting. Action All


Identification and Implementation of the Aims of the Working Group 

4. MW presented Paper 1, which outlined interpretive factors for the Group to consider 
before deciding on outputs. 

5. Following the presentation, the group agreed the following outputs: 

Phase 1: To develop good quality welcome signage for the main entry points, 
identified by the group as the main A roads and a few B roads. The Group also agreed 
that developing more elaborate gateways was not a suitable use of resources at 
present and instead favoured the approach detailed in Phase 2 below. 

Phase 2: To develop information provision within key existing sites, i.e. tourist 
information centres and key ranger bases. This would consist of having a Cairngorms 
National Park area/corner/panel, etc. in the existing facility, with the agreement of the 
centre manager. Work on Phase 2 will commence once Phase One is well underway. 


6. To take Phase 1 forward, the Group requested that a project brief is drawn up and a 
contract let as soon as possible. They also requested that outline planning permission for MWroad signage is submitted, as soon as the number of signs needed, and their approximate 
locations, is confirmed. Action MW

 
Identification of External Interests to Join the Group 

7. The Group agreed to defer the decision on which external interests should be invited to sit ALL 
on the Group until the following meeting. Action All


Date and Venue of Next Meeting 

8. No date was set for the next meeting, but the Group agreed to meet once the invitations to 
tender for the Phase 1 contract had been sent out. 

Miranda Whitcomb 
14/11/03