9 September 2026

Glenurquhart Road

Inverness

IV3 5NX

2 September 2026

Please ask for: Miss J MacLennan
E-mail: jane.maclennan@highland.gov.uk

To: Directors of the Board of High Life Highland

Dear Director

A meeting of the Board of High Life Highland will take place in Boardroom, Inverness Library, Farraline Park, Inverness on Wednesday 9 September 2026 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 2025-30 Strategy PP.1-2

There is circulated High Life Highland Strategy for 2025-30.

4.        Confirmation of Minutes PP. 3-19

The following are circulated for approval:-

i. Minutes of Board Meeting held on 17 June 2026;
ii. Minutes of Finance and Audit Committee held on 10 August 2026;
iii. Minutes of the Nomination Committees held on 11 August 2026 and 28 August 2026;
iv. Minutes of Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance Committee held on 31 August (to follow);

and for noting:-

v. Minutes of High Life Highland (Trading) held on 17 June 2026.

5.        Matters Arising – Board Meeting of 18 March 2026   P.20

There is circulated, for information, matters arising from the meeting of the Board held on 17 June 2026.

The Board is invited to note the position.

6.        Approval of Draft Annual Report and Accounts to 31 March 2026      PP 21-23           

There is circulated Report No. HLH/15/26 by the Chief Executive presenting the annual report and accounts (and Booklet A) for High Life Highland for the period ending 31 March 2026.  Eunice McAdam from Saffery will be present at the meeting to discuss the detail.

The Board is invited to:-

i. approve the draft Annual Report and Accounts as detailed in Booklet A, subject to receipt of the anticipated Letter of Comfort from The Highland Council and a satisfactory outcome from the going concern assessment;
ii. agree to authorise the Chair to sign the Directors' Going Concern Statement once those conditions have been met; and
iii. note the signing of the Annual Report and Audited Accounts will be delayed until December 2026 due to energy and carbon reporting requirements.

7.        Independent Directors to the High Life Highland Board

The two vacant Board positions which arose due to the resignation of Mr M Golding and Ms K Ross have been filled, subject to the approval of the Highland Council on 17 September 2026, by Ms V Graham and Ms D Steel.

The Board is asked to note these appointments.

8.        High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C.

Independent 

Following recruitment to a vacancy on the Board of High life Highland (Trading) C.I.C. the Nominations Committee has recommended that the Board appoint Mr Adam Bell.

Board Director

Subject to the appointment of Independent Directors to the High Life Highland Board at the 17 September Highland Council meeting, the Board is invited to reappoint Valerie Graham as a Board Director to the High Life Highland (Trading) C.I.C. Board.

9.        Finance Report         PP. 24-36

There is circulated Report No. HLH16/26 by the Chief Executive updating Directors on the financial performance for quarter one 2026/27 and other relevant matters.

The Board is invited to note:-

i. the projected year end deficit for HLH's underlying operations, excluding The Inverness Castle Experience, is £257k, with the Castle financial position reported separately;
ii. no breaches of internal controls in the past quarter;
iii. no reportable data breaches have been reported in the past quarter;
iv. the award of contract at paragraph 7.1 of the report: and
v. the update to the scheme of delegation at paragraph 8.1 of the report.

The Board is asked to resolve that the following two items be restricted to Directors and representatives from HLH and the Company Secretary’s office.

10.      Uniform Tender         PP. 37-47

There is circulated Confidential Report No. HLH/17/26 by the Chief Executive providing an overview of the tendering for the provision of a new supplier for uniforms and associated clothing.

The Board is invited to:-

i. note the outcome of the procurement for the provision of uniforms and associated clothing;
ii. note that the estimated contract value exceeds the procurement approval threshold delegated to the Chief Executive under the Scheme of Delegation; and
iii. approve the award of the contract to the supplier identified in Appendix A of the report.

11.      Performance Report - HLH Strategy 2025-2030 – Quarter One  PP. 48-133

There is circulated Confidential Report No. HLH/18/26 presenting performance information for the outcomes highlighted in the HLH Strategy 2025-30.

The Board is invited to:-

i. note and comment on the quarter one performance information;
ii. note the Countryside Rangers, Highland Archive Service and Museums, Galleries and Visitor Attractions annual reviews in Appendices A, B and C of the report;
iii. approve the Museums, Galleries and Attractions & Libraries and Archives Delivery Plan in Appendices D and E of the report;
iv. note the information contained in this report on The Inverness Castle Experience; and
v. agree to authorise the measures described in sections 10 and 11 of the report which aim to achieve a sustainable position for The Inverness Castle Experience from which it can be developed.

12.      Risk Register Annual Review    PP. 134-143

There is circulated Report No. HLH/19/26 by the Chief Executive providing an update on High Life Highland’s Risk Register.

The Board is invited to:-

i. note the changes at the recent Finance and Audit Committee meeting at Appendix A of the report;
ii. following discussion, add/amend any risks/risk management plans, to the register, which are identified at the meeting; 
iii. review and approve the combined Risk Register, and risk tables at Appendix B of the report; and
iv. review the online risk management database for any further detail required beyond this report including associated Risk Management Plans (RMPs).

13.       High Life Membership Update      PP.  144-151

There is circulated Report No. HLH/20/26 by the Chief Executive providing Directors with an update on the highlife membership performance.

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

14.      Human Resources Update    PP. 152-175

There is circulated Report No. HLH/21/26 by the Chief Executive providing an overview of the charity’s Human Resources performance.

The Board is invited to:-

i. note the HR performance information in Appendix A of the report:
ii. note the staff survey analysis and results in Appendices B and C of the report; and
iii. agree the actions to be taken to address matters raised in the survey in section six of the report.

15.      Marketing and Engagement Update     PP. 176-184

There is circulated Report No. HLH/22/26 by the Chief Executive providing a six month update on the Marketing and Engagement (M&E) activities and performance of High Life Highland and includes recent marketing activity for The Inverness Castle Experience.

The Board is invited to comment on and note the M&E performance information for January to June 2026.

16.      Chief Executive’s Update     PP. 185-186

There is an update from the Chief Executive providing information to Directors. The Board is invited to comment on and note the update

A G E N D A