Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
4 December 2024
To: Directors of the Board of High Life Highland
Biz Campbell Andrew Jarvie
David Finlayson Tracy Ligema
Nick Finnigan Drew Millar
Michael Golding Ken Nicol
Roddy Henry Kerry Ross
Marianne Hutchison Mark Tate
Dear Director
A meeting of the Board of High Life Highland will take place in Boardroom, Inverness Library, Farraline Park, Inverness on Wednesday 11 December 2024 at 2.00 pm.
Yours faithfully
STEWART FRASER, 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 provide 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 2022-27; PP.1-2
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 2022-27.
4. Confirmation of Minutes; PP.3-26
The following Minutes are circulated for approval:-
i. Board Meeting held on 28 August 2024 (pp.3-10);
ii. Special Board Meeting held on 25 October 2024 (pp.11-12)
iii. Finance and Audit Committee held on 11 November 2024 (pp.13-17);
iv. Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee held on 11 November 2024 (pp.18-20);
and for noting:-
v. High Life Highland (Trading) held on 28 August 2024 (pp.21-26).
5. Matters Arising – Board Meeting of 28 August 2024; P.27
There is circulated, for information, matters arising from the meeting of the Board held on 28 August 2024.
The Board is invited to note the position.
6. Board and Committee Meeting Dates 2025; PP.28-31
There is circulated Report No. HLH/26/24 by the Chief Executive setting out the meeting dates for High Life Highland for 2025.
The Board is invited to:-
i. agree dates and timings as detailed in Appendix A of the report; and
ii. note the position relating to Directors’ facility visits.
7. Nominations Committee – Substiute Council Director
The Board is invited to appoint Mrs B Campbell as a substitute Council Director on the Nominations Committee for the Shortleeting and Interview meetings scheduled for January and February 2025.
8. Finance Report; PP.32-49
There is circulated Report No. HLH/27/24 by the Chief Executive updating Directors on the financial performance of High Life Highland for quarter two 2024/25 and other relevant matters.
The Board is invited to:-
i. note the draft year end outturn for 2024/25, as detailed in Appendices A-C reports a projected deficit of £247k;
ii. note the breaches of internal controls reported in the past quarter;
iii. note no reportable data breaches have been reported in the past quarter;
iv. note the internal audit report on HLH’s Data Protection processes at Appendix E of the report;
v. note the award of contract at paragraph 7.1 of the report;
vi. approve the internal audit recommendation to formalise the reporting requirements for data breaches;
vii. approve the proposed three year audit plan; and
viii. note the policy updates.
9. Financial Planning 2025/26; PP.50-56
(a) Presentation
The Chief Executive will give a presentation on the beginning of planning for the budget changes for financial year 2024/25.
The Board is invited to comment on and note the position.
(b) Proposed Price Increase 2025/26
There is circulated Report No. HLH/28/24 by the Chief Executive providing the Board with details of proposals for increasing the prices for the highlife membership packages and leisure pay as you go prices as part of the 2025/26 budget setting process.
The Board is invited to approve:-
i. the pricing proposal for highlife subscriptions; and
ii. the pricing proposal for pay-as-you-go and letting activities, including a level of management discretionary pricing around key products/activities.
10. Highlife Active Card; PP.57-63
There is circulated Report No. HLH/29/24 providing the Board with details of the new highlife “Active Card” which is proposed to replace the existing Budget Card scheme by March 2026.
The Board is invited to approve:-
i. the implementation of the new highlife Active Card from 1 April 2025; and
ii. the wind-down of the existing budget card scheme by 31 March 2026.
11. Five Year Strategy; PP.64-92
There is circulated Report No. HLH/30/24 by the Chief Executive seeking to formalise the five year strategy following Directors of the HLH Board and HLH (Trading) C.I.C. having held a joint workshop using the “strategy on a page” format.
The Board is invited to:-
i. note the facilitator’s report on the strategy workshop in Appendix A of the report;
ii. approve the strategy on a page in Appendix B of the report as the basis for service planning;
iii. note that service plans will be developed for each area of HLH work to deliver HLH’s strategic objectives;
iv. note that plans will be developed for specific areas of work highlighted in the strategy with these being brought to the HLH Board for approval over the coming year; and
v. note that a new performance management/monitoring framework is under development and will be brought to the HLH Board for approval at its March 2025 and future meetings as specific plans are developed.
12. Performance Report; PP.93-133
There is circulated Report No. HLH/31/24 dated by the Chief Executive presenting performance information for the period July to September 2024 (Quarter two).
The Board is invited to:-
i. comment on the report and agree that the overall health check on the charity for that period is rated as amber based on the financial situation and reserves position;
ii. note that between the support of THC and the income and efficiency savings made, the position is improving although likely to remain amber until the budget can be balanced and progress can be made towards meeting the 3% reserves policy; and
iii. comment on the work towards the development of new performance reporting based on the Board five year strategy.
13. Human Resources Update; PP. 134-155
There is circulated Report No. HLH/32/24 by the Chief Executive providing an update on the charity’s Human Resources related matters.
The Board is invited to:-
i. note the HR matters for Q2 (Jul-Sep 2024);
ii. approve for publication the Gender Pay Gap Report for 2023/24 in Appendix C of the report; and
iii. approve the Substance Misuse Policy in Appendix D of the report.
14. Marketing and Communications Update
The Head of Marketing and Engagement will give a presentation on all Marketing and Engagement activity since the last update in June 2024.
The Board is invited to comment on and note the position.
15. Chair/Chief Executive’s Updates; PP.156-157
There is circulated Report No. HLH/33/24 by the Chief Executive providing information to Directors and the opportunity for them to discuss issues affecting HLH and its work at an early stage.
The Board is invited to comment and note the updates.
