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CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
Finance Committee Paper 1 15/05/09 

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
FINANCE COMMITTEE 


FOR INFORMATION 


Title: REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2008/09 

Prepared by: Alistair Highet, Finance Manager 

Purpose 

1. To present a summary review of income & expenditure for the 12 months 
to 31st March 2009 and to analyse Operational Plan net expenditure for 
the financial year. 

Recommendations 

2. The Finance Committee is requested to: 

a) Note the results for the 12 months to 31st March 2009. 
b) Note the further analysis of Operational Plan net expenditure by 
programme for the 12 months to 31st March 2009 and the 
outcome, by programme, for the year to 31st March 2009. 

Executive Summary 

3. Table 1 shows the financial results of the CNPA for the financial year 
ending 31st March 2009. The 12 months to 31st March 2009 resulted in a 
recognised gain of £16k against a mid-year forecast loss of £59k (the 
£16k gain representing 0.4% of Grant in Aid received). 

4. The £75k variance against mid-year forecast is mainly the result of 
managing Operational Plan income & expenditure across the 
organisation towards a break even outcome. 

5. Core operating costs were £15k less than budget. This means that the 
CNPA has achieved its annual target for efficiency savings in 2008/09, set 
at 2% of Grant in Aid. 

6. Table 2 analyses the net expenditure of £1,655k on Operational Plan 
programmes over the 12 months to 31st March. 

7. The budget figures shown represent the amendments to budget lines 
made as part of the September/ October 2008 mid-year spending 
review for 2008/ 2009. At that time, £59k of Operational plan expenditure 
was not covered by external income. 


PAGE 2

8. The current figures are unaudited with Audit Scotland currently 
conducting their 2008/09 audit. 

9. It is intended that the CNPA annual accounts for 2008/09 be approved 
at the Audit Committee meeting on the 26th June 2009. 


PAGE 3

2008/09 FINANCIAL REVIEW – FOR INFORMATION 

Background 

Table 1. Results for the 12 months to 31st March 2009: 

CNPA 
2008/09 
Operating Cost Statement 
£000's 

31/03/2009 
Actual 
£000's 

12 
31/03/2009 
Budget 
£000's 

31/03/2009 
Variance 
£000's 

Income 

Grant in Aid 
4,546 
4,546 
0
Planning & other income i. 
66
55
11
Operational Plan income ii. 
454 
402
52

5,066 
5,003 
63 


Expenditure 

Board members salary costs 
199 
204
5
Staff salary costs 
2,048
2,055 
7
Board and staff salary costs 
2,247
2,259
12
Other board and staff costs iii
253
267
14
Office running costs iv
236
220
-16
IT and professional support 
149
154
5
Other operating costs 
638
641
3
Core operating costs v
2,885 
2,900 
15 

Operational Plan expenditure ii
2,108
2,117
9
Depreciation 
64 
57 
-7 

Total cost of operations 
5,057
5.074
17

Bank interest received 
7 
12 
-5 

Recognised gains/ -losses vi. 
16 
-59 
75 


Notes 
i. Income from planning fees was £9k higher than budgeted for the year. 
ii. See Table 2 - Net Operational Plan expenditure. 
iii. A net saving of £9k for the year was achieved in training and 
recruitment costs plus £5k was saved on vehicle costs. 
iv An additional £17k of expenditure was incurred during the year on 
Property costs in relation to rent reviews. 

PAGE 4

v. The total saving of £15k on the budget for core operating costs 
means that the CNPA has achieved its annual efficiency savings 
target of 2% of Grant in Aid. 
vi. The budget of -£59k net expenditure relates mainly to Operational 
Plan Programme budgets not covered by external income at the 
time of the October 2008 budget review (see Table 2). 
The small recognised gain of £16k represents 0.4% of Grant in Aid 
And will cover the notional cost of capital to be charged in the 
annual accounts (2008: £12k). 


Table 2. Net Operational Plan expenditure for the 12 months to 31st 
March 2009: 

CNPA Operational Plan 
2008/09 
Expenditure Summary 
£000's

31/03/2009 Actual  £000's 
31/03/2009  Budget £000's 
31/03/2009  Variance £000's 

Operating Cost Statement 

Operational Plan Income i. 
454 
402 
52 
Operational Plan Expenditure 
2,108 
2,117 
9 

1,655 
1,715 
60 


Operational Plan Programmes 

1. Biodiversity and andscapes ii. 
122 
145 
23 
2. Land Management Support iii. 
225 
189 
-35 
3. Sustainable Deer Management 
9 
16 
7 
4. Outdoor Access iv. 
322 
302 
-21 
5. Sustainable Tourism & Business v. 
301 
355 
55 
6. Affordable Sustainable Housing 
115 
107 
-9 
7. Awareness and Understanding vi. 
384 
408 
25 
8. Communications vii. 
111 
130 
19 
9. Planning vii. 
59 
32
-27 
10. Corporate Services vii. 
8 
31 
23 


PAGE 5

Net Operating Cost 
1,655 
1,715 
60 

Notes

i  £30k more income generated towards the LBBT programme plus £9k 
income towards the completed Point of Entry project. Balance 
funded Wildcat and Mountain Bike website projects. 
ii  £5k extra income towards Biological Records Centre, £10k of  
budget for work on Identifying Species Decline not utilised. 
iii  Budget available from programmes 1 and 3 were effectively 
diverted to programme 2 and Land Based Business Training in 
particular. 
iv  £21k overspend reflects additional £30k contribution to COAT for 
2008/09. 
v  The new LEADER programme was underspent by £36k in it's first year 
as initial project applications began more slowly than anticipated. The 
remaining £19k unspent relates mainly to the Economic Baseline 
Review project which is now taking place in 2009/10. 
vi  £25k budget for New ways to make park information available not 
utilised. 
vii Communications and Corporate Services budgets were held back 
to cover the uncertain costs of the Local Plan Inquiry (included in 
Planning). 


Alistair Highet 
4 May 2009 

alistairhighet@cairngorms.co.uk