The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has been heavily criticised in a damning report by an independent strategic review, which has called for an overhaul of the charity to secure its future.
The Rt Hon George Reid’s independent strategic review of the charity was launched after cash shortages forced it to make a number of staff redundant and sell its grandiose Edinburgh headquarters last year.
According to the Fit For Purpose review, the organisation has no single inventory of what it owns, doesn’t know the cost of maintaining its estate, has no strategic plan, has a budget prepared on a needs-must basis and covers its reserves by using legacies as ready income, selling assets and delaying projects. NTS is not sustainable if it continues to operate in this manner, it claimed.
Reid and the review panel have made 23 recommendations on how to address these issues, starting with a smaller core portfolio and fewer trustees. They have suggested NTS should slash the number of trustees from 87 to just 15, elect a new board by April of next year and establish a working group to review its portfolio of properties and assets.
NTS has responded positively to review of its resources and governance and has praised the transparent and even-handed manner in which it was conducted.
Chief Executive Kate Mavor said: “George Reid and his review team have correctly identified that the Trust has been heavily over-governed for far too long and that its management has been held back through the existence of such a top-heavy structure.
“For our part we firmly believe the reforms to the governance of the charity can be introduced within the timescale set. We also believe change is essential to take the National Trust for Scotland forward and meet the important conservation challenges ahead.”
The Trust has over 310,000 members, who will have the opportunity to discuss and debate the review and its recommendations at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday 25 September at the Clyde Auditorium, SECC, Glasgow.
What are your thoughts about the review and National Trust for Scotland’s current predicament? Send your name and your comments to chris.evans@tenalps.com and we’ll publish your thoughts.
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