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 MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING held at Cromdale Village Hall, Cromdale on 10th September 2004 at 1.30pm PRESENT Eric Baird William McKenna Stuart Black Andrew Rafferty Duncan Bryden Gregor Rimell Sally Dowden David Selfridge Basil Dunlop Joyce Simpson Douglas Glass Sheena Slimon Angus Gordon Richard Stroud Mrs Lucy Grant Andrew Thin Eleanor Mackintosh Susan Walker Alastair MacLennan Bob Wilson In Attendance: Nick Halfhide Jane Hope Andy Rinning Apologies: Peter Argyle David Green Bruce Luffman Anne MacLean Robert Severn Minutes of Last Meeting - approval 1. The minutes of the previous meeting (13th August) were approved with one change, namely the addition of Bob Wilson to the list of Members who were present. Matters Arising 2. Matters arising from the previous minutes were as follows: a) Paragraph 2: Andrew Thin reported that he had written to Grampian Health Board and to Tayside Health Board, and had received replies from both indicating that they had taken on board his points that the National Park raised particular issues because of the high level of outdoor activities taking part all the year round. Copies of the letters were available to Members if they wished to see them. b) Paragraph 2: Jane Hope reported that the Environmental Audit had been conducted on both of the CNPA offices and a report was expected soon. This would be available for Members to see if they wished. c) Paragraph 12(b): Proposals on Advisory Forums would be brought to the next Board Meeting in October. d) Paragraph 16(a): Discussions were ongoing. Election of Convenor and Deputy Convenor (Paper 1) 3. Andrew Thin was nominated for the post of Convenor by Richard Stroud, and seconded by Bob Wilson. There were no other nominations and Andrew Thin was duly elected for a further three years as Convenor of the CNPA. The period of office would last until the 15th October 2007. 4. Eric Baird was nominated by David Selfridge and seconded by Sally Dowden for the position of Deputy Convenor. There were no other nominations, and Eric Baird was duly elected to the position of Deputy Convenor, for three years until the 15th October 2007. Congratulations were offered by the Board to both Convenor and Deputy Convenor for all the work they had done in the previous eighteen months. Membership and Remit of CNPA Committees (Paper 2) 5. Jane Hope introduced the paper. In discussion the following points were made: a) There would be two new Board Members joining on the 25th September. The Convenor would discuss with them their aspirations for committee work, and there would be an opportunity for them to join committees in a year's time when committee membership was reviewed once again. b) Peter Argyle, who was currently deputy Chair of the Planning Committee would be leaving the Board on the 24th September. The first Planning Committee meeting following this (8th October) would need to elect a new Chair and Deputy Chair for the Committee. c) There was some discussion about the size of the Planning Committee, which was currently a committee of the whole Park Authority. There was general agreement that although adding to the workload of all members, there were clear benefits from having all Board Members involved in planning decisions (call-in decisions and determinations). d) There could be advantage in nevertheless reviewing other aspects of the performance of the Planning Committee over its first year. e) The Staffing and Recruitment Committee should include the head of Corporate Services in attendance. 6. The paper's recommendations were agreed as follows: a) The remit of the Staffing and Recruitment Committee should be modified as proposed (including the revision to "in attendance"); b) Other arrangements for membership, chairmanship, and remit should remain essentially unchanged as set out in the paper; c) The process as set out in the paper for establishing membership of committees in the future; d) The Board was comfortable with keeping the Planning Committee as a committee of the whole Authority, involving all 25 Members. Nevertheless a report should be brought back to the Planning Committee giving a review of the Planning Committee's function over the last year. 7. Action: a) Don McKee to bring to the Planning Committee in due course a report on the effectiveness and efficiency with which the CNPA had discharged its planning function over its first year. AOCB 8. A number of meetings were currently being held throughout the Park to discuss the future arrangements for a local Access Forum or Forums within the National Park. There had been some discussion, particularly in Edzell, about whether there should be one Access Authority for the whole Park or several. There was feeling in Edzell that because of its relative isolation from the rest of the Park, there could be great advantage in having a number of sub-groups feeding into an Access Forum for the whole park. There would however be a full report to the Board towards the end of the year on the outcome from these various meetings. It was noted that there may well need to be a mechanism for dealing with the local aspects of the access issue across what is a very large National Park. Date of Next Meeting 9. 8th October at Aboyne.