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CAIRNGORMS LOCAL OUTDOOR ACCESS FORUM
OPERATING PRINCIPLES

The Cairngorms Local Access Forum is established under section 25 of 
the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. It will have a maximum of 21 
members and include one CNPA Board member. The Forum will comprise of 
members appointed to it by the Cairngorms National Park Authority. 
The CNPA and the Forum itself will keep membership of the Forum under
review, including a review of the public agency involvement.

Name and area of operation

1. a. The group will be called the CAIRNGORMS LOCAL OUTDOOR ACCESS
FORUM (referred to below as the Forum).
b. The ForumÕs area of operation will include all land within the 
boundary of the Cairngorms National Park.

Objectives and Functions

2. The objectives and functions of the Forum shall be:
a. To act as the local access forum for Cairngorms National Park and to 
undertake the functions of that body in terms of Section 25 of the Land 
Reform (Scotland) Act 2003;
b. To advise Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) on strategic 
access issues and the drawing up and adoption of a Core Paths Plan in 
terms of its responsibility under Section 17 of the Land Reform 
(Scotland) Act 2003;
c. To advise the Authority in the preparation of its Outdoor Access Strategy;
d. To advise the Authority and any other person or body consulting it, on 
the existence and delineation of rights of way and the exercise of access
rights;
e. To promote responsible access and land management through assisting 
the Authority in publicising the Scottish Outdoor Access Code;
f. To promote discussion and the sharing of knowledge, awareness and 
good practice in outdoor access matters;
g. To support the provision of appropriate infrastructure that improves 
responsible access to the countryside for all; and
h. To offer advice that will assist in the resolution of outdoor 
access disputes.

Structure and Membership

3. a. The Forum consists of such persons as are appointed to it by the 
Park Authority but in line with good practice shall include 
representation from the following key sectors: Land Managers; 
Community Interests; Recreational Users; and Public Agencies.
b. The Forum shall select a Convenor and Vice Convenor to serve a term of 
three years.
c. Forum members are appointed for a two-year period. After this 
duration, Forum members will be invited to extend their membership for 
either one or two years, by self selection initially, but organised so
as to achieve a balance of three-year memberships and four-year memberships,
while maintaining a balance across the four sectors.
d. Future appointments will be made for a term of three years. No member 
shall serve more than six continuous years on the Forum.
e. The Forum may establish subgroups for the purposes of advising the 
Forum on area or topic based outdoor access matters. Subgroups may 
comprise of Forum members, and include external interests and 
specialist advisers.
f. If a representative fails to attend three consecutive meetings
their membership may be rescinded and the CNPA asked to instigate 
selection of a replacement.
g. The public agencies are charged with the responsibility for nominating 
a suitable officer to attend meetings, or delegate a substitute if the main 
member is unable to attend.

Proceedings of meetings
4. a. The Forum will hold meetings no fewer than four times year.
b. The location of Forum meetings will circulate around the Cairngorms 
National Park.
c. A full review of the operation of the Forum will take place two 
years from March 2005.
d. There will be an annual standing item on the agenda for the Forum to
review its progress.

Administration of meetings
5. a. CNPA staff will be responsible for the administrative support, 
accommodation and facilities for meetings of the Forum.
b. The CNPA may provide secretariat for Forum sub-groups at its own 
discretion.
c. All Forum members shall receive business papers by both email
and by post to be circulated no less than 5 working days before 
the next meeting.
d. Comments on papers received prior to the meeting from members 
who are unable to attend, will be circulated to the whole Forum.
e. Minutes shall be kept of all Forum meetings.
f. Minutes and agendas of meetings will be circulated to CNPA Board
Members and to neighbouring local access forums; and made available to
the public through the CNPA website and on request.
g. Meeting agendas shall be reviewed and agreed between the Convenor 
and the CNPA staff as secretariat. Any member may have an input to the 
agenda through the Convenor. A short briefing paper shall also be supplied 
to the Convener and Vice Convener on all papers submitted in advance of 
the meeting.
h. Parties with direct involvement in cases being discussed by the Forum 
will have the right to make short written submissions at the discretion
of the Convenor. Submissions will have to be submitted to the Secretariat 
for circulation seven working days in advance of the Forum meeting.

Communication issues
6. The Forum shall achieve communication with people interested in 
outdoor access in the Cairngorms National Park, in accordance with
the Communications Plan.