Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
5 December 2014
Please ask for: Miss J Maclennan
Telephone: (01463) 702132
TO: ALL DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD OF HIGH LIFE HIGHLAND
| Jenny Clarke | Catriona MacLean |
| Jaci Douglas | Drew Millar |
| Ken Gowans | Kenneth Nicol |
| Douglas Graham | Fraser Parr |
| Donald McLachlan | Ian Ross |
Dear Director
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF HIGH LIFE HIGHLAND – 12 DECEMBER 2014
A meeting of the Board of HIGH LIFE HIGHLAND will take place in the BOARD ROOM, OLD LIBRARY, DINGWALL on FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2014 at 10.00 A.M.
A note of the business to be transacted at the meeting is appended.
Yours faithfully
MICHELLE MORRIS
COMPANY SECRETARY
BUSINESS
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest
Directors are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Director making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.
3. High Life Highland Purpose, Key Business Objectives and Corporate Values P 1
There is circulated summary of High Life Highland’s purpose, key business objectives and corporate values as extracted from the High Life Highland Business Plan 2012-15.
4. Confirmation of Minutes PP 2-15
The following Minutes are circulated for approval:-
i. Board Meeting held on 28 October 2014 (pp 2-9);
ii. Finance and Audit Committee held on 6 November 2014 (pp 10-12);
and the following Minutes are circulated for noting:-
iii. Draft High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C. Board Meeting held on 29 October 2014 (pp 13-15).
5. Matters Arising – Board Meeting of 28 October 2014 P 16
There is circulated, for information, matters arising from the meeting of the Board held on 28 October 2014.
The Board is invited to note the position.
6. High Life Highland Successes PP 17-40
There is circulated Report No. HLH34/14 dated 24 November 2014 by the Chief Executive presenting the best submissions from staff teams on the successful work being carried out by High Life Highland throughout the Highlands and across all areas of work.
The Board is invited to comment on the items presented and note that the selected items will form part of the long list for the annual Staff and Volunteer Award Scheme for 2014/15.
STRATEGY
The Board is asked to resolve that the following item be restricted to only those Directors and officers requiring to remain in attendance.
7. High Life Highland Business Plan BOOKLET A
There is circulated separately, as Booklet A, the final report from outside facilitator Mr David Gass, elements of which are contained within the Company’s Business Plan 2015-19. The Board is invited to comment of the report.
Following the two sessions with Mr Gass, the draft Business Plan is also included in Booklet A. The Board is invited to comment on the structure and content of the draft and note that the final version of the Business Plan will be presented for approval at the March 2015 Board meeting.
QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE
8. Finance Report PP 41-47
There is circulated Finance Report dated 28 November 2014 by the Chief Executive providing Directors with an update on the financial performance of High Life Highland for the period ending 31 October 2014.
The Board is invited to note:-
i. the current financial position of High Life Highland as detailed in Appendix A of the report;
ii. that the financial results for the seven months to 31 October 2014 reports a positive variance on budget of £28,140; and
iii. the projected final out-turn for the year remains on target to the approved budget with a projected positive to budget of c £30k.
The Board is asked to resolve that the following item be restricted to only those Directors and officers requiring to remain in attendance.
9. Budget Savings Proposals 2015-18
The Chief Executive will give a short presentation on the updated work of the Finance and Audit Committee on the preparation of the budget for 2015-19.
The Board is invited to note the update.
10. Marketing and Communications Update PP 48-70
There is circulated Report No. HLH36/14 dated 28 November 2014 by the Chief Executive providing an update on progress made in implementing the Marketing and Communications Plan.
The Board is invited to comment and note the update.
11. Update on Progress with Corporate Memberships
There will be a short presentation to update Directors on the initial phase of the agreed corporate membership drive.
The Board is invited to note and comment on the update presentation.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
12. Appointment of Director to High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C.
As Directors will be aware, there is a vacancy for a Director on the Board of High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C. The initial intention was that this would be filled at the same time as the current two vacancies on the Board of High Life Highland but, prior to advertising, Mr Craig Ewen, former Director of both High Life Highland and High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C., indicated that he was in a position to rejoin the Board and undertake the role of a Director on High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C., should Directors wish.
On the basis that Directors are satisfied that he meets the criteria for the position, the Board is invited to appoint Mr Ewen as a Director of High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C.
13. Excellence in Trusteeship Conference 2014 PP 71-72
Catriona MacLean and Douglas Graham attended the Excellence in Trusteeship Conference held in Dundee in mid November 2014. The Conference, organised by Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum, was attended by around 160 Trustees and Directors and covered the various different aspects of being a Trustee and the 12 Principles of Governance that power Exceptional Boards. In this connection, Directors Ms MacLean and Mr Graham will give verbal feedback on the conference. Ms MacLean’s report of the Conference is circulated.
The Board is invited to comment on the Conference report.
STAFFING
The Board is asked to resolve that the following item be restricted to only those Directors and officers requiring to remain in attendance.
14. Amendments to Adult and Youth Services Structure BOOKLET B
Following on from the report on “Changes to Community Learning and Development (CLD) Legislation and Context” that Directors considered at their meeting on 28 October 2014, there is circulated separately, as Booklet B, Report No. HLH37/14 dated 3 December 2014 by the Chief Executive in response to the Board’s decision to consider resultant amendments to the staff structure of Adult and Youth Services.
The Board is invited to:-
i. note the areas of improvement and development that the new structure will deliver;
ii. agree the staffing structure as detailed in Appendix B of the report; and
iii. note that the indicative costs of restructuring are neutral and although not delivering a saving, seeks to put in place enhancements to capacity in key areas.
15. Chief Executive Verbal Updates
a) Glen Nevis Visitor Centre
The Highland Council Planning and Infrastructure Service has approached High Life Highland to request the transfer of the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre, Fort William.
The Board is invited to note that negotiations are underway to ensure clarity on the rate saving to the Council, and the proposed levels of budget and staff transfer, and that the final position will be presented to the Trading Board as a “new business update” at its March 2015 meeting.
b) Lochaber Sports Association Proposed Indoor Sports Arena – Request for High Life Highland Management
The Lochaber Sports Association (LSA) is an organisation established to represent the sports clubs of the Fort William area. It is currently fundraising to build an indoor artificial playing surface, primarily aimed at football training. LSA has approached High Life Highland to request that it manages the facility on completion. The potential management package has the opportunity to be linked to adoption of management of the new Lochaber High School community facilities, at the request of the Council (beginning January 2015).
The proposal is dependent on Council Capital funding, likely to be considered during February 2015. In order for LSA to formally apply to the Council, it has to supply a costed business plan. As High Life Highland is being requested to manage the completed facility, it will need to contribute to the LSA plan. The Chief Executive and Head of Business are involved in liaising with LSA for this purpose and further updates will be taken to Directors if and when the project advances to fruition.
The Board is invited to note the update.
