The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has welcomed a Scottish Government pledge to address the failures highlighted by the governance review of the Crofting Commission.
The review exposed many weaknesses in basic operating procedures and in how the organisation copes with extraordinary individual behaviours.
SCF chair, Russell Smith, said his organisation want a rationalisation of the roles of commissioners, establishing when they should be delegating to the executive staff or referring to other bodies that have the required expertise.
Action on Crofting Commission welcomed
15 February 2017
He said: “Commissioners should have a strategic and advisory capacity only. It is clear that they got too involved with executive procedures that they did not have the competence or remit for.”
“The review team recognises the huge damage done to the reputation of the commission
by the in-
“Frustratingly, the review does not suggest how this will be resolved, though the government’s recent exoneration will open up options.”
The Scottish Government launched the governance review following the crisis of confidence in the organisation due to the inappropriate actions taken on common grazings committees and the subsequent breakdown of relationships within the commission.
Mr Smith said it is “alarming” it found fundamental inconsistencies and gaps in records of events that led to the breakdown of the organisation.
He said: “This appears to have handicapped the review to an extent, and is telling in itself.”
Mr Smith added: “The list of areas for improvement is long and the minister for crofting, Mr Fergus Ewing, has instructed that an action plan to address them be put in place as a matter of urgency.
“This will, we hope, sort out some of the fundamental issues that allowed the near collapse of this significant organisation.”