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 Title: ADVISORY FORUMS Prepared by: JANE HOPE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE Purpose To review membership, chairmanship and remit of the CNPA Advisory Forums. Recommendations That the Board: a) approve the proposals in this paper for remit, membership and chairmanship as a basis for setting up the Advisory Forums agreed in August; b) agree that within this framework, Chair and staff be given discretion to take forward the establishment of the Advisory Forums as quickly as possible, with the aim that all have had their first meeting by the end of January. c) note that in setting up the Forums, staff will keep all Board Members informed (by email or paper copy) of proposed membership and meeting arrangements. Once Forums are up and running, meeting agendas and papers will be sent to all Board members for information. d) note that these Forums are essentially for discussion and communication of ideas; any Board Member may attend, but is asked to let staff know which they wish to attend on a regular basis; e) note that although a range of staff may be involved in servicing Forums, one member of staff will be identified as in the lead for each Forum; Executive Summary The Board approved at its August 2004 meeting the setting up of five advisory forums to offer advise and act as sounding boards to the CNPA. This paper puts forward proposals for remit, membership and chairmanship. ADVISORY FORUMS Background 1. The Board agreed at its meeting in August 2004 to set up a number of advisory forums. The clear aim of these groups was that these should be outward facing, drawing in a wide range of expertise and experience, to act in an advisory capacity to the CNPA. They are not intended to be project management groups (smaller working groups will be retained where this function is needed), but to act as sounding boards; as a source of ideas and advice from the CNPA’s partners, stakeholders and "customers". 2. This aim will be reflected in membership, and how the meetings are managed and run. Membership needs to be wide, and needs to draw in people who can bring soundly based advice to the table, either because they have particular experience or expertise, and/or can reflect the views of a body of people with legitimate interests, and are able to contribute to debate in a constructive way. 3. It follows that meetings should be chaired and serviced in a way that facilitates discussion, and focuses that discussion on the key issues for the Cairngorms National Park. These are not intended to be decision-making meetings - they are advisory. 4. Board members will play a part in these meetings, and it is important that CNPA members are part of the discussions that take place in these forums. It is expected that Members will indicate which forums they wish to attend regularly (in order to help with planning logistics) reflecting their interests, but as with working groups, Members will be able to attend any meetings they wish. 5. General principles for membership are set out in the attached tables: a) One forum is already in existence, and the membership, remit etc is already in place. b) A second, the Access Forum, will be a statutory body and its remit is set out in the Land Reform Act, while its membership will be determined through procedures still to be determined. c) For the other three forums, it is proposed that the Chairs work with staff to finalise the membership arrangements. It is proposed that Chairs are those who currently chair the closely related relevant working groups. One forum is completely new (the Economic and Social development forum) and Peter Argyle is proposed as the Chair, given his unique position of having a close understanding of the Park coupled with a degree of "detachment" now he is no longer on the Board. d) There are a number of other "groups" in existence (various project steering groups, for example), which serve a useful role. The Housing Strategy Implementation Group has already been recognised by the Board as an important mechanism for dealing with Housing issues, and is chaired by a Board Member (Anne MacLean). It will be expected in addition to its specific role, to feed into the activities of the Advisory Forum on Economic and Social Development. There are other well established groups with a formal remit, and which it makes sense to have linked into the main Advisory Forums. In order to ensure effective co-ordination, it is proposed that membership of the main Advisory Forum may cross-refer to these other groups. The Biodiversity Group is one such example, which we would expect to see linked into the membership of the Integrated Land Management Advisory Forum. JANE HOPE 29 September 2004 janehope@cairngorms.co.uk CNPA ADVISORY GROUPS VISITOR SERVICES, TOURISM AND INFORMATION FORUM Remit To provide advice to the CNPA in its development and implementation of policies and strategies on visitor services, tourism and information provision within the Cairngorms National Park. Specifically: • to act as a critical and constructive sounding board for draft proposals from the CNPA, and in particular, to help ensure that strategic issues relating to visitor services, tourism and information are addressed in a holistic and integrated way; • to help generate new ideas for policy and implementation; • to comment and advise on the development of the relevant sections of the National Park Plan, and monitoring of implementation once approved. • to act as a means of the CNPA communicating its developing thinking, and progress with initiatives and projects. Membership To be drawn by invitation from among organisations (government and non-government), groups and individuals who are able and willing to advise constructively on the development and delivery of policy within the CNP. Membership will therefore not be on a strictly representational basis, but will be drawn to ensure a wide range of relevant experience and expertise, coupled with the ability to constructively and critically advise the CNPA on its role and its work in developing and coordinating policy. In addition to the members invited to attend meetings, there would be a wide second tier of interested individuals who were copied all the papers, in order to keep them informed of progress. CNPA Board Members are able to attend, to participate in debate and to receive views and advice. Chair: Bruce Luffman Lead Staff: Murray Ferguson/Andrew Harper (or delegated members of respective groups) Method of Operation Meetings to be serviced (called, agendas prepared, papers prepared and minutes written) by CNPA staff. Meetings to be called as frequently as needed, but expected to be around once a quarter. We must recognise, in how we use these forums, that there are limits to the demands we can place on people’s time, particularly those who are self employed. Those attending would be eligible for mileage expenses, unless from a public agency, in which case the agency would be expected to cover travel costs. We will aim to be creative in finding meeting times that are acceptable to others (evenings, for example). We will aim to ensure that meetings are interesting; are no more frequent than is useful or necessary; that papers are short, readable and stimulate discussion; that agendas include relevant issues for discussion (and not just everything happening in the Park). We will use electronic systems where possible to circulate papers. INTEGRATED LAND MANAGEMENT FORUM Remit To provide advice to the CNPA in its development and implementation of policies and strategies on integrated land management within the Cairngorms National Park. Specifically: • to act as a critical and constructive sounding board for draft proposals from the CNPA, and in particular, to help ensure that strategic issues relating to land (including forestry), water, landscape, sustainable development and natural heritage management are addressed in a holistic and integrated way • to help generate new ideas for policy and implementation; • to advise on the development of the relevant sections of the National Park Plan, and monitoring of implementation once it is approved. • to act as a means of the CNPA communicating it thinking as this develops, and progress with initiatives and projects. Membership To be drawn by invitation from among organisations (both government and nongovernment), groups and individuals who are able and willing to advise constructively on the development and delivery of natural resources’ policies within the CNP. Membership will therefore not be on a strictly representational basis, but will be drawn to ensure a wide range of relevant experience and expertise, coupled with the ability to constructively and critically advise the CNPA on its role and its work in developing and coordinating policy. In addition to the members invited to attend meetings, there would be a wide second tier of interested individuals who were copied all the papers, in order to keep them informed of progress. CNPA Board Members may attend, to participate in debate and to hear views expressed and advice given. Chair: A MacLennan Staff Lead: Fiona Newcombe (or delegated member of Group) Method of Operation Meetings to be serviced (called, agendas prepared, papers prepared and minutes written) by CNPA staff. Meetings to be called as frequently as needed, but expected to be around once a quarter. We must recognise, in how we use these forums, that there are limits to the demands we can place on people’s time, particularly those who are self employed. Those attending would be eligible for mileage expenses, unless from a public agency, in which case the agency would be expected to cover travel costs. We will aim to be creative in finding meeting times that are acceptable to others (evenings, for example). We will aim to ensure that meetings interesting; are no more frequent than is useful or necessary; that papers are short, readable and stimulate discussion; that agendas include relevant issues for discussion (and not just everything happening in the Park). We will use electronic systems where possible to circulate papers. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM Remit To provide advice to the CNPA in its development and implementation of policies and strategies on social and economic development and cultural heritage within the Cairngorms National Park. Specifically: • to act as a critical and constructive sounding board for draft proposals from the CNPA, and in particular, to help ensure that issues relating to social and economic development and cultural heritage are addressed in a holistic and integrated way; • to help generate new ideas for policy and implementation; • to comment and advise on the development of the relevant sections of the National Park Plan, and monitoring of implementation once approved. • to act as a means of the CNPA communicating its developing thinking, and progress with initiatives and projects. Membership To be drawn by invitation from among organisations, groups and individuals who are able and willing to advise constructively on the development and delivery of policy within the CNP. Membership will therefore not be on a strictly representational basis, but will be drawn to ensure a wide range of relevant experience and expertise, coupled with the ability to constructively and critically advise the CNPA on its role and its work in developing and coordinating policy. In addition to the members invited to attend meetings, there would be a wide second tier of interested individuals who were copied all the papers, in order to keep them informed of progress. CNPA Board Members to attend, to participate in debate and to receive views and advice. Chair: Peter Argyle Lead Staff: Andrew Harper (or delegated member of Group) Method of Operation Meetings to be serviced (called, agendas prepared, papers prepared and minutes written) by CNPA staff. Meetings to be called as frequently as needed, but expected to be around once a quarter. We must recognise, in how we use these forums, that there are limits to the demands we can place on people’s time, particularly those who are self employed. Those attending would be eligible for mileage expenses, unless from a public agency, in which case the agency would be expected to cover travel costs. We will aim to be creative in finding meeting times that are acceptable to others (evenings, for example). We will aim to ensure that meetings interesting; are no more frequent than is useful or necessary; that papers are short, readable and stimulate discussion; that agendas include relevant issues for discussion (and not just everything happening in the Park). LOCAL ACCESS FORUM Remit • To act as the Local Access Forum under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and specifically to advise the National Park Authority or any other person or body consulting the Forum on: o the exercise of access rights o the existence and delineation of rights of way o the drawing up of a Core Paths Plan • To offer advice and assistance (which helps to resolve the dispute) to parties who are in dispute about: o the exercise of access rights o the existence and delineation of rights of way o the drawing up of a Core Paths Plan o the use of core paths. • To advise on strategic issues relating to the management of outdoor access within the Park Membership Membership will be determined through a process developed by the CNPA, taking account of the requirements of section 25 of The Act. Chair: to be decided along with membership, through a mechanism to be determined. Staff Lead: Kristin Scott Method of Operation To be considered as part of a future paper to the CNPA Board. PANEL ON JOINED UP GOVERNMENT Remit To advise the CNPA on the development and then implementation of the NP Plan as a strategic framework for more integrated public sector activity in the NP. Membership Chief Executives of all public agencies and local authorities with a significant role to play in delivery of the Park Plan. CNPA Board Members to attend, to participate in debate and to receive views and advice. Chair: Andrew Thin Staff Lead: Nick Halfhide (or delegated member of Group) Method of Operation Meetings to be serviced (called, agendas prepared, papers prepared and minutes written) by CNPA staff. Meetings to be called as frequently as needed, but expected to be annually. Those attending would be eligible for mileage expenses, unless from a public agency, in which case the agency would be expected to cover travel costs. The Panel is advisory and has no executive or decision-making functions.