Appointment Member Cairngorms National Park Authority Board

We value very highly the benefits of having different experience and points of view on our Boards and we are keen that people from all walks of life apply for public appointments. Scottish Ministers particularly welcome applications from women, disabled people, LGBT+ people, people from ethnic minority communities and people aged under 50. If you have a disability and require an adjustment at any stage of the public appointments process, please get in touch with the Scottish Government, Public Appointments Team by email ointmentst.

Cairngorms National Park Authority
Scotland’s National Parks were established by the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 to safeguard areas of outstanding and diverse landscapes, habitats and communities. They do this by coordinating the delivery of four main statutory aims.

• to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area;
• to promote the sustainable use of the natural resources of the area;
• to promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public; and
• to promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

This can mean being involved in developing key strategic documents such as:

• the National Park Partnership Plan, which sets out our priorities for the Park’s development in association with partner organisations over a five-year period;
• the Local Development Plan, which guides all future development and the use of land. It acts as a strong catalyst for change and improvement in the area, shaping the environment of the National Park; and
• the Cairngorms Nature Action Plan and the Active Cairngorms Action Plan.

Additionally, the National Park Authority has a statutory responsibility for planning. All board members are also members of the Planning Committee, which oversees preparation of the Local Development Plan and takes decisions to determine those planning applications for developments with issues of significance to the Cairngorms National Park aims, and which have therefore been “called-in” by the Park Authority. Planning applications not called in by the Park Authority are determined by the relevant local authority.

Significant planning issues for the National Park area include provision of affordable housing, sustainable tourism development, rural economic development and ensuring climate resilient communities and businesses for the future.

The Scottish Parliament is currently scrutinising the Natural Environment Bill which is hoped to be enacted before the Scottish elections in 2026. The Bill proposes some changes to the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 which include amendments to strengthen the four statutory aims, strengthen the duty of other public bodies both to have regard to the aims and to facilitate the delivery of National Park Partnership Plans;

and to enhance enforcement powers to improve byelaw compliance by being able to issue fixed penalty notices. The Bill and a range of amendments being proposed by individual MSPs are currently being debated in Parliament and may lead to further changes being proposed and agreed.

The Board will help guide and shape the organisation’s work streams, including our work on a Net Zero National Park, Cairngorms Nature, the Cairngorms 2030 Programme (part funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund), the Peatland Restoration Programme, and the wider challenges of delivering a broad portfolio of project actions delivering against national outcomes.

Required

The board members of the CNPA have a key role in ensuring that both the natural environment and the local communities in our Park are cared for and sustained for current and future generations to enjoy. Board members are required to:

• contribute to setting the strategic direction of the National Park Authority in a way which reflects Scottish Ministers’ policies and priorities through the production and oversight of the strategic Corporate Plan;
• approve and oversee delivery of annual operational and business plans, ensuring activity and resource plans deliver against Corporate Plan objectives;
• set the design and…