WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. 
The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and 
misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you 
should refer to the pdf version of this document.


CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
Paper 4 07/10/05 


CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 

FOR INFORMATION 

Title: OPERATIONAL PLAN 2005/06 QUARTER 2 - UPDATE 

Prepared by: Jane Hope, Chief Executive 
David Cameron, Head of Corporate Services 


Purpose 

To present a review of progress on the 2005/06 Operational Plan. 


Recommendation 

The Board is requested to note the progress made to date on 2005/06 Operational Plan 
actions, and in particular: 

• Progress on 17 of 20 goals remains broadly in line with intentions set out in the 
Operational Plan. 

• The remaining 3 goals have each been identified as affected by some changes to the 
timetable and/or intended delivery plans, which pose some risk to delivery of 
intended outcomes. Achievement of outcomes on all three of these goals remains 
targeted for 2005/06. 


Executive Summary 

The Operational Plan sets out a range of actions, and milestones associated with these 
actions, which contribute over the course of 2005/06 to the ultimate delivery of the 20 
Corporate Plan goals over the next few years. The Management Team’s review of the 
2005/06 Operational Plan has sought to identify whether planned activities remain broadly on 
target in terms of timetable and delivery of intended outcomes, or whether, for any reason, 
there is any risk of actions not being delivered within target timescales. 

The main focus has been on actions where milestones were planned to be achieved by the end 
of the second quarter of 2005/06, i.e. by 30 September. Additionally, the opportunity has 
also been taken to look forward and highlight any issues relating to delivery of outcomes 
intended in the second half of the year. 

The review indicates that progress on 17 of 20 goals is broadly in line with intentions set out 
in the Operational Plan. Although some changes to the timetable and/or intended delivery 
plans have been identified within the remaining 3 goals, intended outcomes in these areas for 
2005/06 are expected to be delivered prior to the end of the year. 


OPERATIONAL PLAN 2005/06 QUARTER 2 - UPDATE 

Background 

1. The Operational Plan for 2005/06 was presented to the Board for information at its 
meeting in April. This plan stems from the Corporate Plan for 2005/06 to 2007/08, 
approved by the Board in February. 

2. The Corporate Plan sets out 20 goals identifying the outcomes to which the Authority 
will direct its resources over the three years to 2008. The goals will not all be 
completed over the course of the current three year corporate planning period: progress 
will be made on all goals over this time and further direction will be given by the 
National Park Plan. Of the 20 goals, 7 have been identified as taking priority given that 
they are statutory duties and/or in most cases will provide the strategic framework 
which will guide activities within the Park for the next 10 years or so. 

3. The Operational Plan sets out a range of actions, and milestones associated with these 
actions, which contribute over the course of 2005/06 to the ultimate delivery of the 20 
Corporate Plan goals over the next few years. 

4. The Management Team has now undertaken a second review of the operational plan for 
2005/06, as we come towards the end of the first half of the year. This review has 
sought to identify whether planned activities remain broadly on target in terms of 
timetable and delivery of intended outcomes, or whether, for any reason, there is any 
risk of actions not being delivered within target timescales. 

5. The results of the first review were reported to the Board at its meeting on 1 July, and 
this paper follows broadly the same format. 


2005/06 Operational Plan Review Process 

6. In reviewing the status of delivery of operational plan actions, the Management Team 
have used a three way system of categorisation: 

a) Green: action being delivered broadly in line with timetable and intended 
milestones/outcomes envisaged in operational plan. 

b) Amber: there are some changes to the timetable and/or intended delivery 
plans which pose some risk to delivery of intended outcomes. 

c) Red: changes to timetable and/or delivery plans pose a significant risk to 
delivery of intended outcomes. 

7. At this stage, the main focus has been on actions where milestones were planned to be 
achieved by the end of the second quarter of 2005/06, i.e. by 30 September. 
Additionally, the opportunity has also been taken to look forward and highlight, at this 
half-year point, any issues relating to delivery of outcomes intended in the latter part of 
the year. 

8. Following from the review of the status of actions, the status of the goals to which the 
actions contribute have also been categorised as green, amber or red. This is intended 
to provide some early indication of progress being made on three-year Corporate Plan 
goals through delivery of 2005/06 operational plans. 

9. Assessing the delivery status of goals also attempts to take some account of the fact that 
not all actions will make an equal contribution to the achievement of goals. Rather, 
some actions will be of lower priority, and it may be appropriate as the year progresses 
to halt delivery of the outcomes intended by those actions in order to prioritise others 
and ensure overall contribution to delivery of goals is maximised. 


Results of Review Process 

10. The Appendix to this paper sets out the Operational Plan, with actions colour coded 
according to the above broad guidelines, together with a brief commentary on progress 
to date. As indicated, focus has been concentrated on actions with milestones due for 
achievement in the first and second quarters of the year. Some actions, with 
milestones/outcomes not due until the second half of the year, may not have any 
indication of progress at this stage. 

11. Only 3 actions within the 2005/06 operational plan are now classed as red, and 
therefore at significant risk of the intended activity and associated outcomes not being 
delivered in the year. These are spread across 3 different goals and therefore do not 
pose a significant risk to the achievement of any Corporate Plan goals. 

12. As at the end of the first quarter, three of the twenty goals are classified as amber as a 
result of a balance of actions within those goals showing some changes to the timetable 
and/or intended delivery plans which pose some risk to delivery of intended outcomes. 
Those three goals are considered below. 

13. Increased access to all forms of housing tenure for park residents or people who 
are meeting economic or social needs within the Park (Priority 1). While the 
Heriot-Watt housing study commissioned by the Authority’s officers has been 
completed, this goal is set at amber as a result of delays in a number of pieces of work 
being undertaken by a number of external partner organisations. Overall, delivery of 
outcomes from these actions is still expected within the year and the Authority’s 
officers continue to work with partners to achieve this. 

14. Delivery of an effective and efficient development control service, seamlessly 
blending planning policy and Park aims (Priority 1). At present the operational plan 
sets out only a single action within this goal, focusing on achieving a reduction in 
application backlogs by October. The plan review now notes that, since the 
appointment of a third development control officer, the backlog is steadily reducing but 
likely to take longer to clear than had been estimated. January or February is now 
thought a more realistic deadline for clearing the backlog, than October as had been 
originally planned. 

15. Good understanding and appreciation of the Cairngorms National Park by young 
people, and appreciation of its importance (Priority 2). In this instance, two of the 
three actions contributing to this goal are classed as amber as a result of some delay in 
delivery from a lack of in-house staff resource and pending the appointment of the 
Education and Inclusion Manager to progress these actions. This post has now been 
appointed with the new member of staff to join the organisation in mid October. 

16. Of the three goals classed as amber, two are priority 1 areas. Overall, however, all 
three goals which have been flagged as amber at the end of the second quarter are still 
expected to be delivered prior to the end of the year. 

17. All 17 other goals are, therefore, categorised as green and progressing broadly in line 
with the operational plan’s intentions. 

18. This position, half way into the year, replicates that reported to the Board in July for 
performance over the first quarter of the year. While the detail of the Operational Plan 
review appended indicates that there has been some change of status on a number of 
individual actions planned for the year, overall achievements in 2005/06, contributing 
toward delivery of goals agreed in the Corporate Plan remains broadly in line with 
intentions. 


Delivering Sustainability, A Park for All and Economy, Efficiency and 
Effectiveness 

19. Delivery of the three cross-cutting themes agreed within the Corporate Plan remain 
core elements against which Operational Plan activities are proofed as they are taken 
forward. 


Implications 

Financial Implications 

20. A second financial review of operational plan delivery and associated resource 
commitments is being undertaken by the Head of Corporate Services with members of 
the Management Team in late September and early August. 

21. The results of the first review of the financial position towards the end of the first 
quarter were reported to the Management Team in July and to the Board’s Finance 
Committee in September. The review indicated that original planned expenditure of 
£1.52m on operational plan elements had increased to £1.76m. This had been 
facilitated by Management Team decisions to defer some staff recruitment, allowing a 
transfer of budget of around £0.24m from core expenditure to finance activities set out 
in the operational plan for 2005/06. 

22. Management of budget allocations within the operational plan has also allowed 
additional expenditure required to progress 22 activities to be financed in part from 
resources reclaimed from 34 areas of activity where some or all of the original 
approved budget is no longer required to delivery planned outcomes. The Management 
Team seeks to maximise the use of the Authority’s resource allocation for 2005/06 by 
ongoing, proactive management of budget allocations in this way throughout the year. 

23. Resources have been redirected to support key priorities within the operational plan, for 
example the appointment of a Park Plan Assistant to support the development of the 
National Park Plan. 


Presentational Implications 

24. Overall, this second quarterly review of the 2005/06 Operational Plan continues to 
present generally successful work and resource investment in delivering operational 
and, ultimately, corporate plan objectives. Only 3 of 20 goals are flagged as being at 
some risk as to delivery of outcomes intended for 2005/06, and current expectations are 
for current situations in all three areas to be corrected before the end of the year. 

25. Therefore, the Authority is able to highlight a successful first six months of delivery of 
its Corporate Plan objectives, often involving working with and through others, 
maximising the effect of its relatively small limited resources by acting as a catalyst, a 
co-ordinator, and enabler. 


Implications for Stakeholders 

26. In working with and through others in meeting the Authority’s objectives to date, other 
stakeholders will also benefit from that process of co-ordination and joined-up activity. 
There is, therefore, some confidence that in delivering our operational plan for the year, 
the Authority will also be contributing to the wider delivery objectives for a range of 
stakeholders with an interest in the Cairngorms National Park area. 


Next Steps 

27. A third review of the status of the 2005/06 Operational Plan delivery will be presented 
to the Board at its meeting in January 2006. In the meantime, the Management Team 
will continue to review of the robustness of financial allocations made to progress 
operational plan actions and consider any new investment plans proposed. Financial 
reviews will be undertaken in conjunction with the Board’s Finance Committee as 
appropriate. To this end, the Finance Committee has agreed to reschedule its meetings 
to allow its views on financial performance to be better integrated within these reports 
on broader operational plan delivery. 

28. Having highlighted areas where delivery is at some risk, officers will also be seeking to 
bring those actions back on track where possible while continuing progress on the 
other, vast majority of areas, which are currently running to plan. 

29. Work also remains to be undertaken to fully embed the Authority’s risk management 
processes within these operational plan reviews. 

Jane Hope 
David Cameron 
July 2005 

janehope@cairngorms.co.uk 
davidcameron@cairngorms.co.uk