CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY Title: WORKING GROUPS Prepared by: JANE HOPE, INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE Purpose Following agreement to establish of a number of working groups at the Board meeting on 12 September (Paper 1), this paper seeks agreement to the initial membership (of CNPA Board Members) and the remit of each group. Recommendations That Members agree: • To the proposals for CNPA membership of each working group; • To the proposed purpose and short-term outputs, but subject to the groups themselves refining these as necessary, along with the timetables for delivery. Executive Summary Working groups are short-term groups of Board Members, CNPA staff and key relevant partners, aimed at directing and driving the planning and delivery of particular actions/projects. Initially membership will comprise a small number of Board Members (supported by staff), who will decide on a chair from among their number, and bring in relevant partners as appropriate. It will be open to any CNPA Board Member to attend and contribute to any meeting of any working group A set of short-term outputs is proposed for each working group. Members are asked to agree these, subject to the groups being able to refine them as necessary in the light of their scoping of the tasks, and availability of staff resources. WORKING GROUPS Proposed Terms Of Reference And Membership For Working Groups 1. General note – Working Groups are essentially short term groups of board members, staff and key relevant partners set up to direct and drive the implementation of specific actions designed to address key board priorities. Their initial role is that of planning what must be done, but they are expected in most cases to rapidly evolve into project groups steering specific initiatives of their own devising. Initially membership comprises a small number of board members and staff who are then expected to appoint a chair from among their number and bring in key relevant partners as appropriate. Initial membership for each group is proposed below. It is, of course, open to any board member to attend and contribute to any meeting of any working group at any time. 2. Short term outputs and associated timetables are proposed for each group in order to make clear that these groups need to be focused on delivery. However, the delivery dates are shown in square brackets in recognition of the fact that it may not be until the groups can scope the tasks, in light of available staff resources, that an informed and more realistic timetable can be agreed. Ranger Services Working Group 3. Purpose – to formulate, agree and then implement arrangements for provision of a CNP wide approach to ranger services. 4. Expected Short Term Outputs: – • To produce a report to the CNPA board by end [Apr ‘04] setting out specific proposals for implementation during 2004/05 so as to produce a more coordinated and harmonised ranger service for the CNP. 5. Suggested Membership – Eric Baird, Willie McKenna, Richard Stroud, Sally Dowden. Food Marketing Working Group 6. Purpose – to develop and implement new approaches to produce marketing under a CNP brand and/or umbrella mechanism. 7. Expected Short Term Outputs: – • To produce a report to the CNPA board by end of [Jan ‘04] setting out proposals and procedures for use of the CNPA logo for wider food and other marketing purposes (Note the need to liaise with the Tourism group on marketing). • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Mar ‘04] setting detailed proposals for a 3-year food marketing project from April 2004, and including a report summarising information on food businesses already operating in the Park. 8. Suggested Membership – Andrew Rafferty, Bruce Luffman, Alastair MacLennan, Eleanor MacKintosh, Lucy Grant, Sheena Slimon. Housing Development Working Group 9. Purpose - to develop and implement new approaches to affordable housing through housing investment and ownership based on as yet undefined local residency criteria (i.e. measures in addition to the existing Cairngorms Housing Strategy and focused on promoting private investment in, and ownership of, houses within the CNP by local people) – note need to liaise with Local Plan project group. 10. Expected Short Term Outputs: - • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Feb’04] outlining experience from other UK National Parks and elsewhere on developing housing provision with specific residency criteria attached. • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Aug ‘04] setting out detailed proposals for a 3 year pilot initiative to enable the construction and sale of a defined number of “affordable” houses with specific and binding local residency criteria attached (note assumption that investment will be mainly from the private sector). 11. Suggested Membership – Sheena Slimon, Anne MacLean, Eleanor MacKintosh, and Andrew Thin. Park for All Working Group 12. Purpose - to develop and take forward measures and initiatives to remove barriers and make the benefits derived from the NP fully socially inclusive. 13. Expected Short Term Outputs: - • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Jan’04] detailing the key constraints to be tackled over the medium term, with specific reference to how to meet the requirements and spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act. • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Apr’04] setting out detailed proposals for a 3-year project aimed at addressing the most significant of these constraints and designed with particular defined priority client groups in mind. (Note the need to liaise with tourism and other groups). 14. Suggested Membership – Eric Baird, Anne MacLean, Sheena Slimon, Lucy Grant Tourism Development Working Group 15. Purpose – to establish better coordination of tourism related activity (mainly but not exclusively marketing) in the CNP, including between the three different ATBs within the Park, and to develop and implement CNP wide initiatives as appropriate. 16. Expected Short Term Outputs: - • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Dec’03] detailing the key issues to be tackled over the medium term. • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Feb’04] setting out detailed proposals for action during 2004/05. 17. Suggested Membership – Bruce Luffman, Sally Dowden, Alastair MacLennan, Bob Wilson. Access Working Group (expected to become the statutory Local Access Forum for the CNP) 18. Purpose - to plan and coordinate delivery of the CNP’s duties under the access legislation, including the core path network. 19. Expected Short Term Outputs: - • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Feb ‘04] setting out proposals for membership and structure of one or more Access Forums set up under the terms of the Land Reform Act, to cover the CNP area. • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Jan ‘04] setting out detailed proposals for an initial Core Path Network to be established in the CNP during 2004/05. (Note the need to liaise with tourism and other groups, especially the Gateways and Information Group on information provision). 20. Suggested Membership – Willie McKenna, Richard Stroud, Alastair MacLennan. Integrated Public Transport Working Group 21. Purpose - to develop and take forward measures to improve the effectiveness of public transport within the CNP in supporting CNP aims. 22. Expected Short Term Outputs: - • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [May ’04] outlining the key gaps in local public transport provision that might realistically be resolved at minimal additional public cost (e.g. timetabling realignment, dual use with school bus services, etc.). 23. Suggested Membership – Sheena Slimon, Peter Argyle, Eleanor MacKintosh, Stuart Black. Park Gateways and Information Working Group 24. Purpose – to develop and implement a coordinated approach to establishing appropriate “gateways” at the main entry points to the CNP. 25. Expected Short Term Outputs: - • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Feb’04] setting out detailed proposals (including funding arrangements) for signage at all the main entry points to the CNP. • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Mar’04] outlining proposals for any other facilities that may be required at specified entry points to the CNP. (Note the need to liaise with tourism and other groups). • To produce a report for the CNPA board by end [Feb ‘04] setting out specific proposals for implementation during 2004/05 so as to improve generally available public information about, and hence understanding of, the “special qualities” of the Park (note focus on information delivery within the Park and importance of liaison with tourism, rangers, and other working groups). 26. Suggested Membership – Gregor Rimell, Bob Wilson, Richard Stroud, David Selfridge, Andrew Rafferty, Sue Walker. National Park Plan Project Group 27. Purpose – to steer the process agreed at the CNPA meeting on 12th September, and to report periodically to the board on progress. 28. Expected Short Term Outputs: – • To review and update the “Vision for the Future (1997)” and present CNPA version to the board by the end of [May’04] • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Jan ‘04] outlining results of initial discussions with stakeholders. 29. Suggested Membership – David Green, Duncan Bryden, Peter Argyll, Angus Gordon, Sue Walker. Local Plan Project Group 30. Purpose – to steer the process of producing a Local Plan for the CNP, and to report periodically to the board on progress. 31. Expected Short Term Outputs: – • To produce a report to the CNPA board by the end of [Mar’04] setting out proposals and timescale for developing a Local Plan for the CNP. • To produce periodic reports to the CNPA board outlining progress. 32. Suggested Membership – Bruce Luffman, Basil Dunlop, Duncan Bryden, Douglas Glass, Peter Argyle, Sue Walker. Agriculture Working Group 33. Purpose – to guide the CNPA’s response to and involvement in the consultation on and implementation of CAP reform. 34. Expected Short Term Outputs:- • To provide a written response, reflecting all 4 aims and purpose of the Park, to the Scottish Executive’s consultation on CAP reform by the end of December 2003; 35. Suggested Membership - Stuart Black, Alastair MacLennan, Lucy Grant, Eleanor MacKintosh, Bruce Luffman, Andrew Rafferty, Duncan Bryden, Angus Gordon. Jane Hope 1st October 2003 janehope@cairngorms.prestel.co.uk