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CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
Paper 5 20/03/08 

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 


FOR INFORMATION 

Title: REVIEW OF CNPA CORPORATE PLAN 2005/08 

Prepared by: Jane Hope, Chief Executive, and Management Team 

Purpose 

This paper presents a review of the CNPA’s first full corporate plan, covering the years 
2005-2008, and considers how well the Plan’s goals have been delivered; to what extent 
activities and projects will carry forward to the next corporate plan, and what lessons we can 
draw from this 3 year period of work. 

Recommendations 

To note. For possible further discussion at staff awayday, and Board discussion session. 

Executive Summary 

The 2005/08 Corporate Plan set 20 goals. These have been substantially delivered, with one 
exception. The period of this first Corporate Plan has been essentially one of becoming 
established, and setting strategic frameworks in place. The next Corporate Plan for 2008/11 
takes the CNPA into a new phase focused on delivery of the agreed National Park Plan. 
The 2005/08 period has been characterised by a number of very successful projects, on which 
we can build and develop. 


REVIEW OF CNPA CORPORATE PLAN 2005/08 – FOR INFORMATION 

Introduction 

1. The Cairngorms National Park Authority came into existence in March 2003. Its first 
corporate plan covered 2004/07, but was only current for a year because of the 
spending review cycle, and so the first “full” corporate plan covered the three year 
period 2005/08, setting out the CNPA’s aims and objectives in its early years. 

2. At the current point in time, exactly five years since the CNPA and the Cairngorms 
National Park were created, and at the end of the CNPA’s first full corporate plan, it 
is opportune to look back at how well the Plan’s goals have been delivered, to what 
extent activities and projects will carry forward to the next corporate plan, and what 
lessons we can draw from this 3 year period of work. 

3. National Parks were introduced in Scotland to ensure a more integrated approach to 
the management of areas of outstanding heritage value, in support of sustainable 
development objectives. The role of the CNPA is to secure the long-term interests of 
the Cairngorms National Park by, in the words of the founding legislation, ensuring 
“the coordinated and collective achievement of the 4 aims of the Park”. 

4. A complex mosaic of public sector bodies already exists operating within the 
National Park, each with a specific and relatively narrow remit (whether in 
geographical, policy or operational terms). By contrast the CNPA has a very broad 
policy remit, covering the whole area of the National Park. The CNPA is not set up 
to duplicate the functions already being delivered by these other statutory bodies; its 
role is to add value and leadership by “joining up” the activities of the range of other 
organisations, bringing a degree of synergy by coordinating the overlapping 
responsibilities of other bodies, and delivering the objectives of sustainability. 

5. The 2005/08 corporate plan made clear that CNPA would fulfil this role of 
integration by: 

a) Providing for long term planning in cooperation with others, to ensure 
integration of, and synergy between, the activities of stakeholders; 
b) Adding value in situations where our remit enables us to bring a broad 
perspective and overview; 
c) Working with and through others, enabling and facilitating the activities of 
others who are better placed to deliver agreed outcomes; and 
d) Providing leadership in situations which require coordination of others with 
diverse and differing interests 

6. The 2005/08 corporate plan set out 5 strategic themes, delivered through 20 goals. In 
addition there were three cross cutting themes identified as running through all the 
organisation’s activities, projects and plans. These themes and goals are set out in 
Annex 1. 


Have We Delivered the 2005/08 Corporate Plan? 

7. Annex 1 shows the 20 goals, the 3 year milestones and the difference expected in the 
long term from achieving those goals – those three columns are taken directly from 
the corporate plan, while the fourth column gives a very brief summary of the 
progress made with delivering the 3 year milestone. The first column in coloured to 
reflect the delivery of the 3 year milestone for the goal: 
Green – substantially delivered (i.e. main/important elements delivered; 
Amber – partially delivered; 
Red – substantially not delivered in respect of main/important elements 

8. While there is an element of subjective judgement, the overview of Annex 2 is 
broadly of successful delivery – of 20 goals, 15 are assessed green, 4 amber, and one 
red. In other words, we largely delivered those goals which we set at the start of the 
plan period. The single red-assessed goal was that of the local plan adoption by 
spring 2007. This proved overly optimistic in practice, and although considerable 
effort was devoted to this work, including a huge input to public consultations, the 
complexity of the issues (most notably affordable housing) coupled with the desire to 
develop a different approach, proved a much longer job than originally anticipated. 
Work on this continues, along with the accompanying Sustainable Design Guide; 
modifications to the deposit plan are expected in June 2008, and if a PLI follows, then 
adoption is anticipated in 2009. 

9. This assessment of broadly successful delivery of goals is not a comment on how 
much impact these goals have had, and their relative importance in the eyes of 
others. That will require a public opinion survey, which is planned for the 2008/09 
(to replicate the survey first done in 2004). 


Analysis/Overview 

10. Looking at the delivery under the 5 strategic themes and the 3 cross cutting themes, 
the main achievements have been as follows: 

11. 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 others. 

a) Draft Core Path plan ready for formal consultation, 
b) Cairngorms Outdoor Access Forum established and operating effectively; 
systems operational for recording and dealing with access issues; 
c) Outdoor access strategy for Park completed; 
d) Funding support provided to important parts of the path network (Glenmore 
off-road route; various UDAT works, Speyside Way); 
e) New Outdoor Access Trust established as partnership mechanism for long 
term management of path network across the Park and associated works; 
f) Design and installation of high quality granite markers at the 25 road entry 
points to the Park and at railway stations, accompanied by upgrading of laybys 
and car parks. 
g) Selection of Park Branded visitor information leaflets supported; work on 
Park portal nearly completed; 
h) Range of events and activities supported/attended; Park newsletter 
implemented. 
i) Broad agreement in place to develop a more coordinated arrangement for 
management of ranger services grant -aided by CNPA. 

12. Theme 2: To promote sustainable resource, land and water management; and to protect and 
enhance our wildlife and landscapes. 

a) Range of projects supported through the Local Biodiversity Action Plan 
group. In 3 years, £0.5million has been invested in a range of projects, for 
example: a water vole conservation project; the Cairngorms is one of the last 
strongholds of the water vole left in the UK; the non-native fish project has 
trialled an innovative fish survey method for freshwater lochs, leading to 
methods for controlling/reducing non-native species which can damage 
populations of important native species. 

b) Agri waste project: to assist farmers within the National Park achieve high 
standards of environmental care; in three years CNPA have assisted the 
disposal of sheep dip from over 30 farms within Badenoch and Strathspey. 

c) Pilot study completed with local estate on identifying public benefits; 

d) Input into SRDP priority setting at national and regional level. 

e) Worked with several estates on local communications; supported 
establishment of Cairngorms Deer Advisory Group to bring about 
cooperative approach to deer issues. 

f) Support to Dee catchment management officer. 

g) Land Based Business Training scheme highly successful and well received in 
helping businesses develop skills of the workforce, and deliver public 
benefits for the Park. Developed into Cairngorms Awareness and Pride 
project to extend benefits to everyone in the Park (e.g. Leave No Trace; 
cultural heritage; ticks and lymes disease). 

h) Two partnership schemes supported, “Planning to Succeed” and “Monitor 
Farm”, designed to enable farmers and crofters to learn from each other and 
specialist advisers, with the aim of increasing business viability, and ability to 
adapt to change. 

13. 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. 

a) Creation and roll-out of the Cairngorms Brand for businesses and 
organisations, enabling an integrated approach to the marketing and 
promotion of the area underpinned by quality criteria and the iconic 
landscapes and wildlife of the area. 

b) An effective pan Park “small” grant scheme for communities, incorporating 
LEADER +, and monies from other partners. 

c) Awarded the European charter for Sustainable Tourism (first UK National 
Park to do so), providing recognition of this Park’s lead in putting Scotland 
on the map as a sustainable tourism destination. 

d) Support for national tourism targets through support for private sector led 
Destination Management Organisations. 

e) Better and more integrated transport, through the provision and funding of 
the Cairngorms Explorer (integrated transport timetable), and funding the 
Heather Hopper cross Park bus service. 

f) Ensuring a clear and collective voice for local business community through 
support for the Cairngorms Chamber of commerce, and Association of 
Cairngorms communities. 

g) Cairngorms Connections – a training initiative for tourism businesses – 
piloted and now web-based. 

h) Pilot projects carried out on ideas for helping to create housing at affordable 
prices. 

14. Theme 4: To ensure our commitment to future generations we will look beyond the horizon 
and put in place plans to guide and co-ordinate the long-term integrated management of the 
Park. 

a) National Park plan in place, with partner endorsement, and delivery 
mechanisms in place, focusing activity on agreed priorities for the Park, and 
creating a strategic basis for joined up government ahead of the SEARS 
initiative. 

b) Progress made with Local Plan preparation; 

c) Wide range of other supporting strategies prepared in partnership, as basis 
for future activity: e.g. forest and woodland framework; interpretive 
guidelines; outdoor access strategy; 

15. Theme 5: To be an open, innovative, and professional organisation that engages effectively 
with the public and behaves with integrity. 

a) Organisation established with appropriate internal controls; clean bill of 
health from auditors; 
b) Monitoring and reporting arrangements established to ensure direct links 
between Corporate Plan, operational plan, individual staff targets and staff 
development. 
c) Processes geared to openness: Board meetings in public; website used to 
make information publicly available; good record on dealing with FOI; 
d) Range of thorough consultations undertaken; engagement standards in place. 
e) Independent research project by Macaulay Institute monitoring National park 
Plan preparation and implementation on-going and providing useful (and 
broadly positive) feedback on effectiveness of processes. 
f) Staff Consultative Forum established to ensure open internal consultation. 

16. Sustainability: ensuring that our actions do not compromise those of future generations. 

a) Office greening initiatives in place; 
b) Sustainability fund set up 
c) Training courses provided through LBBT and CAP 
d) Joint project supported to establish Carbon footprint for Park 
e) A pilot Green Farms project is providing free carbon audits to 16 farms in the 
Park, as a precursor to finding ways to mitigate climate change and reduce 
carbon emissions. 

17. A Park for all: creating a Park which is accessible to everyone, not just the fit and the few. 
a) John Muir award - 17% of the award winners have been from socially 
excluded backgrounds. 
b) Big Issue initiative 
c) Youth work – youth website; highly acclaimed youth media project involving 
seven secondary schools. 
d) Core Paths network established with range of objectives including providing 
for a wide range of abilities, and providing paths within, around and between 
communities and to public transport connections and places of local 
importance. 
e) Equalities training for all staff and Board Members; 
f) Piloted consultation method based on National Standards for Community 
engagement, aiming to widen representation and address barriers to 
participation. 
g) Park Life available on tape. 
h) Supported All Abilities Communications network. 

18. Delivering the 3 Es: ensuring economy, effectiveness, efficiency in our use of resources. 
a) Good reports from auditors 
b) Operational plan monitoring shows milestones largely delivered on time and 
within budget 
c) Best Value self assessment completed and approved 
d) Not significant underspend or overspend in financial years 
e) Progress made with shared/collaborative services with other public bodies. 
f) We have levered in funding over and above the CNPA’s grant in aid 
equivalent to around 20% of the GIA, which has contributed to “operational 
plan” spend (projects and initiatives). 
g) Efficiencies through internal Greening programme (car pool etc) 

Where Are We Now? 

19. The period in question has been one of getting the organisation established – its 
culture, its operating systems and its working relationships - and of putting in place 
the foundations for the future. A wide range of strategic frameworks are now in 
place which provide the basis for “collective and coordinated” delivery of the Park’s 
aims by a wide range of people and organisations, not just the CNPA. In particular 
the National Park Plan is in place and endorsed by partners; delivery and monitoring 
arrangements are also in place. Our statutory functions are bedded in. The Outdoor 
Access function is well in hand. The development management function with its 
unique call-in aspect is established. 


“How” have we Delivered 

20. To what extent have we been “Enabling”? This term has on occasions been 
misunderstood, but is used as a shorthand expression to encompass the idea that 
rather than just achieve things by “doing to” others, we should as much as possible 
be helping others in the Park to do for themselves, i.e. building capacity – hence the 
concentration on facilitating and supporting with funds, advice and staff time; acting 
as a catalyst, especially for partnerships; and developing new approaches. Clearly we 
have not been able to apply this approach to all issues, but examples of how we have 
include the following: 

a) By putting the NP Plan and other strategies in place we have focused public 
sector spend on agreed priorities for the area; 
b) We have grant aided others to do things – through the LEADER+ 
programme (which we host) and Integrated Grants Programme have put 
£1.7m (from a combination of sources) to local communities and 
organisations to enable them to deliver benefits for the Park; 
c) We have supported the Cairngorms Chamber of Commerce as a strong voice 
for business in the Park; similarly we have supported the Association of 
Cairngorms Community Councils; and latterly, the Community Needs 
Initiative. 
d) We have supported and encouraged the creation of two Destination 
Management Organisations, both business-led initiatives for managing and 
promoting the area for tourism. 
e) We have created the Cairngorms brand as a marketing opportunity for use by 
businesses and organisations; 
f) The highly successful Land Business Training Project, a brokering initiative 
for bespoke training, has helped businesses broaden their skills, as well as 
enhancing their business performance and delivering benefits for the Park. In 
each of the three years of the Plan, between 700 and 800 people were trained 
from between 100 and 200 businesses. 
g) The John Muir project has enabled over 4,000 people to experience, 
understand, and contribute to the conservation of the National Park, and 
achieve the John Muir award – this has been done by getting 58 organisations 
actively involved in providing the award. 
h) Installation of high quality entry point markers, and brown directional signs, 
have helped create a sense of place. 
i) We have continued to support and foster the 13 different ranger services 
through a working partnership between public sector and private and 
voluntary sectors; 

21. 
Have we been innovative? Examples include the following (which in some cases are 
those cited above as “enabling” – it is no coincidence that projects which are 
innovative tend to be the ones which are “enabling”: 

a) Cairngorms Brand – a tool enable businesses and organisations to present 
themselves as part of the Park and raising quality and environmental 
standards. 
b) Ranger services – partnership approach between public, private and 
voluntary sector. This breaks the usual mould of a NPA employing and 
operating the ranger service in a National Park. 
c) LBBT project as a brokering scheme to provide training in the right place in 
response to demand, and change attitudes to training; and the development 
of the cairngorms Awareness and Pride project involving the general public 
in helping to contribute to the Park; 
d) Developed innovative relationship with national NGO (John Muir Trust) to 
boost uptake of JMA within Park, using relevance of Park as the driver. 
Partnership with the Big Issue, using the Park as a means to widen the 
horizons of socially excluded and disadvantaged; 
e) Securing the European charter for Sustainable Tourism (first NPA in UK to 
do so). 

Implications and Lessons for the Future 

22. Some work is unfinished and will carry forward into the next Corporate Plan. In 
particular: 

a) Completion of the Local Plan and sustainable design guide. Both are 
crucially important, and given that we “share” the planning function with 
Local authorities, an effective working relationship needs continual attention, 
not least because the local authorities will in time be making decisions based 
on these two documents prepared by the CNPA. Further, during the course 
of preparing drafts of the local plan, it has become clear that 
b) Completion of the funding and management arrangements for ranger 
services; 
c) Continue to work with CDAG to ensure good understanding and cooperation 
between all sectors in deer management, with the aim of CDAG becoming 
self sustaining; 
d) Completion of landscape strategy/plan (including wild land); 
e) Complete web portal for Park. 

23. Other work will continue because the statutory function remains, but we need to 
challenge the way we deliver these, in light of experience and given that 
circumstances will have changed: 

a) Planning and development management. After 5 years of delivering a 
unique call-in planning function, we have established a modus operandi. Our 
ability to deliver a responsive planning service has been demonstrated, but 
consistently delivering to short timescales has been hampered by the impact 
of the Beauly-Denny inquiry, and by our philosophy of working for a positive 
outcome rather than a quick one (reflected in the statistic of over 70% of 
called-in applications being approved). Public understanding of the call-in 
system also not very high. A review of our planning operation would seem 
sensible after 5 years, including a consideration of what can be done to assist 
applicants in making the system more accessible. 
b) Outdoor Access function. We now nearly have the Core Path plan in place, 
the CLOAF in place, and a system for dealing with access complaints; we also 
have the Outdoor Access Trust in place as a mechanism for managing the 
path network. So the emphasis of our work in this area will change. 
c) National Park Plan. The plan is approved and in place; delivery arrangements 
are in place, and work in the next 3 years will need to concentrate on 
ensuring these are effective, and on the results of the monitoring framework, 
feeding this back into the delivery arrangements. By the end of the next 
Corporate Plan period we will need to consider the review of the current Park 
Plan which covers 2007-2012. 
d) Adoption of Core Paths Plan and implementation on the ground. 

24. Many other projects and initiatives have been very successful in the 2005/08 
Corporate Plan period. The challenge in the next corporate plan period will be to 
build on those successes. We must look for ways of: 

a) developing the successful projects in innovative ways to deliver the new 
corporate plan priorities; 
b) generating or responding to new ideas for projects and initiatives which 
“enable” and engage others, and create opportunities for communities (of 
interest and locale) to take forward; 
c) continuing to lever in funding; 
d) looking to hand over projects we have piloted, for others to take forward and 
develop, freeing us up to develop new ideas. 
e) continuing to work with partners, and ensure that other public sector 
organisations recognise the importance of the National Park. 

25. Conclusions 

a) We have achieved a considerable amount in the last 5 years, and have been 
largely successful in delivering what we promised in the 2005/08 corporate 
plan: 19 out of 20 goals delivered or partially delivered. 
b) However, some lines of activity have proved more difficult than anticipated, 
the Local Plan being the most obvious. This must be a priority for 2008/11. 
c) The 2005/08 corporate plan was very much a phase of becoming established 
as an organisation, and establishing a strategic direction for the Park as a 
whole with partners; in that we have been reasonably successful. 
d) That phase is now over, and the next Corporate Plan will clearly require us to 
move into a “delivery” phase. But we must continue to set ourselves the 
challenge of enabling others to do rather than necessarily doing “to” people; 
and being innovative, not afraid to try new ideas. 
e) We have had successes in the 2005/08 plan, but we cannot be complacent and 
must be prepared to challenge our operations and approach as we move into 
the very different 2008/11 Plan. This will be the subject of staff awaydays in 
the near future, and it may be helpful to have a Board discussion session. 

9 



CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
Paper 5Annex 1 20/03/08 

Annex 1 

5 Strategic Themes 

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 others. 
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. 
Theme 4: To ensure our commitment to future generations we will look beyond the horizon 
and put in place plans to guide and co-ordinate the long-term integrated management of the 
Park. 
Theme 5: To be an open, innovative, and professional organisation that engages effectively 
with the public and behaves with integrity. 

20 Goals 
(Shading - Numbers 1 to 7 - shows the 7 priority goals) 

1. Duties as the outdoor access authority effectively and efficiently delivered. 

2. National Park Plan in place by end of 2006, agreed by stakeholders, setting out 
achievable targets and indicators of measuring progress over next 10 years. 

3. Local Plan for CNP adopted by spring 2007 

4. Increased access to all forms of housing tenure for Park residents or people who 
are meeting economic or social needs within the Park 

5. Plans, policies and actions developed through transparent and robust processes 
that engage with stakeholders. 

6. Justly perceived as an open, accountable and trusted organisation 

7. Effective and efficient development control service, blending planning policy 
and Park aims 

8. A professional, respected and motivated staffing complement 

9. Good quality outdoor access infrastructure in place and maintained. 

10. Arrangements in place to meet needs of visitors, land managers and 
communities for information and management of access (equivalent of ranger 
svc) 

11. Wide range of opportunities to experience the special qualities of the Park in a 
sustainable manner is available to all 

12. Public benefits which can be produced by land managers defined and 
supported through publicly funded integrated schemes, advice and training. 

13. Communication and consultation by land managers on objective setting for 
public benefits 

14. Residents, businesses, organisations and visitors contribute to protection and 
enhancement of wildlife, landscapes, cultural heritage and natural resources. 

15. Stronger and more diverse economic opportunities within the CNP area 
(including for land managers) 

16. An increase in value of sustainable tourism spend. 


17. Improved Community capacity to help deliver 4 aims of the Park 

18. High levels of understanding and appreciation of the Park, and of the role, of 
the CNPA and partners. 

19. Improved accessibility and quality of public transport within the Park 

20. Good understanding and appreciation by young people of the CNP, and its 
importance. 


In addition to the 5 main themes, Three Cross Cutting themes were identified: 

Sustainability: ensuring that our actions do not compromise those of future generations. 
A Park for all: creating a Park which is accessible to everyone, not just the fit and the few. 
Delivering the 3 Es: ensuring economy, effectiveness, efficiency in our use of resources. 



Annex 2 – Overview of Delivery of Milestones in Corporate Plan 2005/08 

(Table not available in full text format)