The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has written to the crofting minister, Fergus Ewing, over its "deep concern that crofters’ democratic rights are being flouted by a constable appointed, perhaps illegally," by the Crofting Commission.
The Scottish Government has been asked to interven in the fallout after the Crofting Commission sacked the Upper Coll common grazings committee in Lewis.
The crofting regulator imposed an investigating officer -
Grazings officer is "completely out of control"claims Crofting Federation
21 September 2016
Two weeks ago, crofters elected a new, designate committee ready to take over when the constable, retired police chief officer, Colin Souter, leaves the post.
SCF chair Fiona Mandeville said “The majority of shareholders of the Upper Coll grazings have voted. Yet this constable, whose legality of appointment is refuted by lawyers, is completely ignoring them.
"The shareholders have demanded that the constable, Colin Souter, who was appointed by the Crofting Commission, stands down so that they can reinstate a democratically elected grazings committee. Why is he still there?
“Democracy is the very foundation of grazings committees. A lack of democratic procedure by the removed Upper Coll committee is something that the constable has been trying, unsuccessfully, to find evidence of.
Ms Mandeville continued: “Judging by the press releases Souter issues, he clearly has misunderstood the role of a grazings clerk, or that of an appointed constable fulfilling the duties of clerk – were his appointment legal.
"He seems to be either completely out of control, or under the control of the Crofting Commission, an organisation that has lost all credibility.
"In addition Souter and his masters are attempting to undermine the viability of crofters' collaborative enterprises by questioning their entitlement to SRDP and registration for VAT.
"Are they trying to bring to an end 130 years of crofting?"
Ms Mandeville believes the only recourse is for the Scottish Government to take control of the situation and to remove him.
She said the situation is "extremely harmful" to the crofting community of Upper Coll as well as crofting itself.