11 December 2019
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
Please ask for: Miss J Maclennan
Telephone: (01463) 702121

To: Directors of the Board of High Life Highland

Michael Golding Ella MacRae
Tom Heggie Linda Munro
Andrew Jarvie Ken Nicol
Tracy Ligema Ian Ross
Donald McLachlan Mark Tate
Duncan Macpherson

Dear Director

A meeting of the Board of HIGH LIFE HIGHLAND will take place in the BOARD ROOM, EDEN COURT THEATRE, INVERNESS on WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER 2019 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 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 2019-24                                                  PP 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 2019-24.

4.       Confirmation of Minutes         PP 2-22    

The following Minutes are circulated for approval:-

i. Board Meeting held on 27 August 2019 pp 2-8);
ii. Finance and Audit Committee held on 18 November 2019 (pp 9-13);
iii. Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee held on 19 November 2019 (pp. 14-17)

and for noting:-

iv. High Life Highland (Trading) (draft) held on 27 August 2019 (pp 18-22).

5.        Matters Arising – Board Meeting of 27 August 2019               PP 23 

There is circulated, for information, matters arising from the meetings of the Board held on 27 August 2019.

The Board is invited to note the position.

STRATEGY

6.        Inverness Castle Project Update   

Mr Stuart MacKellar of LDN Architects, and Mr Bryan Beattie of Creative Services will give a presentation on the Inverness Castle Project, now called “Spirit of the Highlands in 100 stories”.

The Board is invited to note the presentation.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

7.        Appointment of Chair

As Mr McLachlan’s term of office has come to an end, the Board is invited to appoint a Chair of the Company, who will preside at meetings of the Board.

Directors are reminded that:-

• nominees require to be proposed and seconded; and
• individuals being nominated must indicate their willingness to accept the post.

8.       Board Work Plan and Meeting Dates                                            PP 24-38

There is circulated Report No. HLH28/19 dated 19 November 2019 by the Chief Executive setting out the Board Work Plan for High Life Highland for 2020.

The Board is invited to:-

i. comment on and agree the Work Plan in Appendix A of the report;
ii. agree meeting dates and timings for the main company as detailed in paragraph 4.1 and summarised in Appendix B of the report;
iii. note that the Trading Company will be meeting a minimum twice yearly as detailed in paragraph 4.1 and summarised in Appendix B of the report;
iv. agree meeting dates for the Finance and Audit Committee as detailed in paragraph 4.2 and summarised in Appendix B of the report;
v. agree meeting dates for the Strategic Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee as detailed in paragraph 4.3 and summarised in Appendix B of the report;
vi. note the scheduled dates for the Inverness Castle Project Delivery Group meetings as detailed in paragraph 4.4 and summarised in Appendix B of the report; and
vii. note the position relating to Directors’ facility visits.

STRATEGY (Contd.)

9.       Budget Planning 2020/21   

The Chief Executive will give a presentation on the beginning of planning for the budget changes for financial year 20/21.

The Board is invited to comment on and note the position.

10.       Pricing Review                             PP 39-42

There is circulated Report No. HLH29/19 dated 27 November 2019 by the Chief Executive updating Directors as to the processes currently being undertaken in relation to highlife card and ‘pay-as-you-play’ pricing review in preparation for the 2020/21 management fee settlement from The Highland Council.

The Board is invited to comment on and note the content of the report and the preparatory work that has been undertaken on the pricing reviews.

11.       Health and Safety Plan 2020 to 2025      PP 43-56

There is circulated Report No. HLH30/19  dated 26 November 2019 by the Chief Executive presenting the draft Health and Safety Plan 2020 to 2025 which was considered by the Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee at its meeting held on 19 November 2019.

The Board is invited to:-

i. note that the draft plan has been developed following consultation with the Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee, HLH’s external Health and Safety Adviser, and HLH managers and staff;
ii. approve the draft plan in Appendix A of the report; and
iii. note that progress on the delivery of the plan will be considered quarterly by the Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee and reported annually to the HLH Board.

QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE

12.      Finance Report                                                                                     PP 57-66

There is circulated Report No. HLH31/19 dated 20 November 2019 by the Chief Executive providing an update on the financial performance of High Life Highland for Quarter 2 2019/20 and other relevant matters.

The Board is invited to note:-

i. the results for the period April to September 2019 detailed in Appendix A reporting a negative variance to budget of £66K with the HLH year-end outturn forecast to be a negative variance to budget of circa £120K;
ii. the update on the planned management actions to mitigate the forecasted negative variance to budget;
iii. there has been no breach of internal controls reported in the past quarter;
iv. the update on the theft from Raigmore Community Centre;
v. there has been one data breach reported in the last quarter;
vi. the update on implementation of the 2018/19 financial audit recommendations; and
vii. the award of contracts as detailed in paragraph 8.1 of the report.

13.      Performance Report                                                                           PP 67-100

There is circulated Report No. HLH32/19 dated 27 November 2019 by the Chief Executive presenting performance information for the period July to September 2019.

The Board is invited to:-

i. comment on the report and agree that the overall health check on the Company for the period is assessed as green;
ii. note that the delivery of the business plan is assessed as green; and
iii. note that, due to the timings of meetings, there will be a verbal update at the 11 December 2019 HLH Board meeting on PI 3. Delivery of the Service Delivery Contract with The Highland Council.

14.      Human Resources                                  PP 101-105

There is circulated Report No. HLH33/19 dated 19 November 2019 by the Chief Executive providing an update on Human Resources activity for the period July to September 2019 which includes information relating to absence, disciplinary and grievance issues during this period.

The Board is invited to note and comment in the content of the quarterly HR report including the update on the staffing establishment.

15.       Marketing and Communications Update            PP 106-122

There is circulated Report No. HLH34/19 dated 29 November 2019 by the Chief Executive providing an update on progress made in implementing the Marketing, PR and Communications 2019-2024 strategy.

The Board is invited to note the report and comment on any salient points.

16.      Chair/Chief Executive’s Updates                                                    PP 123-126

There is circulated Report No. HLH35/19 dated 27 November 2019 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:-

i. comment on and note the updates; and
ii. agree to delegate authority to the Finance and Audit Committee to consider the Strathpeffer Pavilion business case at their February meeting.

A G E N D A