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 2 10/02/06 Annex 1 LBBTP 2005 UPDATE AND GRAPHS Objective 3 includes Deeside, Strathdon, the Angus Glens and Atholl. Objective 1 includes Speyside, Badenoch, Tomintoul and Glenlivet Expenditure 1. In 2004, a total of £95 615 was committed to the LBBTP, £73 175 (77%) of which was spent on training courses. 53% of this total figure was committed in the Objective 3 region of the National Park, with the balance of 47% spent in the Objective 1 region. In 2005, approximately £206 606 was committed to the LBBTP, 83% being directly committed to training costs. Interestingly, 57% of this amount was spent in the Objective 1 region, with the 43% balance being spent in the Objective 3 region. The amount spent in Objective 1 represents an increase of 160% on the 2004 spend, whilst the Objective 3 region spent almost 50% more than in 2004. 2. The European Social Fund contributed 50% of all the project costs, with LBBs contributing 50% towards the costs of the commercial training courses, and the CNPA contributing 50% towards the staffing costs, and the costs of the Public Benefit courses. Outputs and Results 3. The total number of project beneficiaries in 2004 was 419, with 51% from the Objective 3 region and 49% from the Objective 1 region. In 2005, the beneficiary numbers were 680, with 55% from the Objective 1 area, and 45% from the objective 3 area. More significant are the beneficiary business figures. In 2004, 64 LBBs were supported through the project. In 2005, the project supported 125 businesses, representing a 195% increase on 2004. A number of these are small (1 – 5 staff) businesses, including crofts and self employed outdoor recreation providers, who simply could not access or fund the training without the project support. These figures are shown graphically as follows: Objective 3 includes Deeside, Strathdon, the Angus Glens and Atholl. Objective 1 includes Speyside, Badenoch, Tomintoul and Glenlivet Graph 1: Expenditure per Region Graph 2: Total Expenditure across both Regions Graph 3: Beneficiaries supported Across Regions Graph 4: Businesses Supported across Regions (Graphs not available in text format) TABLE OF PUBLIC BENEFIT COURSES FUNDED/ARRANGED The following courses were delivered in 2004 Headings: Course Total No. delegates Evaluation Score LBBTP organised * 1. Pearl Bordered Fritillary Butterfly Course 4 Average N 2. Ecology of the Native Pinewood Conference 1 Above Average N 3. Interpretive Planning by Sam Ham 21 Excellent N 4. Continuous Cover Forestry Course 1 Above Average N 5. Scots Pine Rural Development Conference 4 Above Average N 6. Spotlight on Raptors 11 Average N 7. Water Margin Management and Wildlife 33 Above Average Y 8. SCAN conference - Managing Access Rights to Water 4 Excellent N 9. 4PP – Diffuse Pollution 12 Excellent Y The following courses were delivered in 2005 Headings: Course Total No. delegates Evaluation Score LBBTP organised * 10. Disability Awareness 55 Excellent Y 11. Is Biomass the Answer 8 Above Average N 12. SOAC and Communication Skills 32 Above Average Y 13. Field Surveying and Habitat Assessments for Bats 2 Excellent N 14. Insects and their Bat Predators 1 Excellent N 15. Cairngorms Wildlife - Identification and Interpretation - March 2005 35 Excellent Y 16. Basic Wildfire Fighting 33 Above Average Y 17. Countryside Risk Management Training - April 2005 29 Above Average Y 18. Tick Control 78 Above Average Y 19. Pond creation and Management 12 Excellent Y 20. Communication – the tools to Promote your Public Benefits 14 Above Average Y 21. Wildfire Management for Supervisors 17 Above Average Y 22. Countryside Risk Management for Farmers 11 Excellent Y 23. Close Encounters with the Natural World 1 Above Average N 24. Upland Paths – Facing the Future 1 Excellent N 25. Creating New Birchwoods 3 Above Average N 26. Wildlife and the Law 34 Above Average Y 27. SOAC and Communication skill (repeat) 7 Above Average Y 28. Cairngorms Wildlife - Identification and Interpretation (repeat) 12 Excellent Y 29. Taking Strides with Access 22 Above Average Y Evaluation Score Delegates were asked to evaluate various elements of the course on the levels; Poor, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Excellent. * LBBTP Organised The LBBTP organises some PB courses, as indicated in the above table with a “Y”, others are sourced by individual beneficiaries and LBBs, and some are communicated to the LBBTP by the training providers for LBBTP to further communicate the details to all LBBs on the e-mailing list. These externally sourced courses are identified in the table above with an “N” PB Courses in the future Land based businesses are quieter in the first and last quarters. Realistically, public benefit courses should be delivered during these periods to ensure the accessibility of these courses to most workers within the sector. However, there is a danger of “overloading” businesses by aiming to deliver too many courses at one time. As such, the courses need to be suitably spaced out. With this in mind, a number of courses have already been identified as training needs in 2006 and beyond. In addition, many of the courses that have already been run need to be delivered in a similar but revised format at a later stage, e.g. SOAC and practical examples. It is also good practice to repeat courses to give new beneficiaries the opportunity to attend. The table below lists new Public Benefit courses that have been identified as training needs. These courses are linked to the Park Plan’s priorities for action, primarily as these are the areas that the CNPA needs to focus its resources and effort over the next 5 years, over and above ongoing work. These courses have been identified though consultation with CNPA staff, as well as with land managers. The schedule below has been sent out to all the LBBs currently on the project, as well as to additional LBBs, to assess which courses are most in demand, and when these businesses are most likely to send staff on the courses. Following this consultation, a two year schedule of Public Benefit courses will be drafted, and communicated in advance to the LBBs. However, the schedule will not be cast in stone, and new, additional Public Benefit courses will be set up if there is a specific need/demand. Public Benefit Course Priority 1. Updates on the law about Waste disposal and Exploration of waste disposal alternatives and composting Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 2. Interpreting the Historic Landscape Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes; Developing Awareness an Understanding of the Park 3. Butterfly Management Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 4. Water Vole Conservation through Mink control Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 5. Interpretation for land managers - how best to manage and deliver it Providing High Quality Opportunities for Outdoor Access; Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park; Making Business and Tourism more Sustainable 6. What does it mean to be a National Park (this will included at an international as well as a national level, and what we as the CNPA are trying to do with our NP by way of the Park Plan) All priorities 7. Conserving the Cairngorms Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes; Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park 8. Non-native Fish – implications and management Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 9. Woodland Management for Biodiversity Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 10. Woodland Grazing Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes; Supporting More Integrated Land Management 11. Wildflower Management Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes; Supporting more Integrated Land Management 12. The Best use of signage to promote responsible Access Providing High Quality Opportunities for Outdoor Access 13. Historic Land Assessment Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes; Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park 14. Giving outdoor recreation providers the necessary skills to enhance the availability of access to outdoor recreation for the disabled Supporting High Quality Opportunities for Outdoor Access; Making Business and Tourism More Sustainable 15. The use of Wood fuel Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 16. Understanding Land Management Contracts Making Business and Tourism more Sustainable 17. Participative Skills for rangers, keepers, land managers etc to engage with local communities Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park 18. Understanding the Planning System with regards to Land Management (eg agricultural tracks and sheds, estate tracks etc) Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park 19. The Water Framework Directive and its implications for land based businesses Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 20. Environmental Impact Assessments – what to look for and where to go for help Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 21. Land Management Contracts Supporting more integrated land management 22. Habitat monitoring/recording Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes 23. What makes the Cairngorms special (looking at our unique moorland, aspen, waders etc) Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park 24. How the countryside sector works (eg the co-dependencies of shooting, agriculture, outdoor recreation Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes Developing Awareness and Understanding of the Park 25. Wildfire Behaviour – understanding and interpreting it Conserving and enhancing the Park’s Biodiversity and Landscapes Each of the three projects have strong links with Corporate Plan goals and themes, and play an essential role to deliver the priority actions for the Park Plan; - LBBTP The LBBTP links directly to several of the Corporate Plan Goals • “Public benefits which can be produced by land managers defined and supported through publicly funded integrated schemes” • “Good communication and consultation by land managers on objective setting for public benefits” • “Stronger and more diverse economic opportunities within the CNP area” And indirectly to others: • “Duties as the outdoor access authority effectively and efficiently delivered” • “Arrangements in place to meet needs of visitors, land managers, and communities for information and management of access (i.e. equivalent of ranger functions)” • Wide range of opportunities to experience the special qualities of the Park in a sustainable manner is available to all” • “High levels of understanding and appreciation of the Park and of the role, of the CNPA and partners” It also has very clear direct links to two of the CNPA’s Corporate Plan Strategic Themes: • Theme 2: To promote sustainable resource, land and water management; and to protect and enhance our wildlife and landscapes. • Theme 3: To support and stimulate economic and social development within the Park that sustains and is sustained by its special natural and cultural qualities. Public Benefit Training for All The project links directly to several of the Corporate goals, including; • Arrangements in place to meet needs of visitors, land managers, and communities for information and management of access (i.e. equivalent of ranger functions) • Residents, businesses, organisations and visitors contribute to protection and enhancement of wildlife, landscapes, cultural heritage and natural resources • Improved Community capacity to help deliver 4 aims of the National Park • High levels of understanding and appreciation of the Park and of the role, of the CNPA and partners The project also has very clear direct links to all the CNPA’s Corporate Plan Strategic Themes, but particularly Theme 1: “To enable current and future generations to understand and enjoy the special qualities of the Park in a way that fosters those qualities and supports the activities of other” and Theme 2: “To promote sustainable resource, land and water management; and to protect and enhance our wildlife and landscapes”. Youth Training Project The project will help to achieve the Corporate Plan goal “Stronger and more diverse economic opportunities within the CNP area”. The project links directly to the Corporate Plan’s 3rd strategic aim “To support and stimulate economic and social development within the Park that sustains and is sustained by its special natural and cultural qualities”. In addition, the project meets the Park Plan’s goal to develop and improve access to education and training. The project will be one of the actions to overcome a major constraint to social inclusion “Lack of opportunities in higher education, training and jobs” as set out in “Developing a Park for All – Social Inclusion” board paper (August 2004).