At the NTS Council meeting on 29 January, Shonaig Macpherson formally stepped down as Chair to be replaced on an interim basis by Dick Balharry.

In Trust for Scotland commented:
“We welcome the appointment of Dick Balharry at an extremely important time for the NTS. The resignation of Shonaig Macpherson today breaks one link with the discredited management policies that contributed to the current crisis. It is necessary to rebuild the Trust’s governance structure from the top down and we are hopeful that George Reid’s review will learn from past mistakes. We wish Dick Balharry success in this very important role and look forward to an improvement in communication with NTS members”

For Argyll, the online newspaper which has followed the NTS story closely commented:
‘On agreeing today to act as interim Chair until a permanent Chair is appointed, (Dick Balharry) said, with wonderful ambiguity: ‘Following in the footsteps of our outgoing Chairman is not going to be an easy task’.

In his December report to members, George Reid announces  a series of focus groups where NTS members have the opportunity to contribute their views. The first of these will be held at the Scottish Parliament on 25th January. To reserve your place, please e-mail this address marking your mail ‘Focus Group’.

If you are unable to attend these meetings you can join the On-line Focus Group here

In an interview on the Politics Show (BBC1 17th January) George Reid said “At the end of the day, it’s not a National Trust issue, it’s a Scottish issue, because it’s our land, it’s our built and cultural heritage that gives all Scots a sense of place, time and identity.” The package also featured the activities of the local group formed to stop the closure of  Inveresk Gardens.

In ‘The Herald’ letters page (12 December) Kate Mavor writes:
Sale of national Trust HQ has been taken for sound financial reasons
I am writing to reassure members of the National Trust for Scotland that the recent decision to sell its administrative offices in Charlotte Square in Edinburgh was taken in the best financial interests of the charity. (‘Anger as National Trust loses £3m on sale of HQ’, The Herald, December 7)
The Trust has been living beyond its means for some time. Measures have been taken to boost income and reduce expenditure, , and one was to relocate administrative functions to more efficient premises.
The sale of Wemyss House in Charlotte Square and the relocation to Hermiston Quay in Edinburgh is estimated to save the Trust over £6m over the next 5-10 years. This is because its running costs will reduce and repair and upgrading work will be avoided.
Considerable sums of money were indeed invested when the Trust moved into its current offices 10 years ago. Much of that was targeted at restoration work which has not translated into market value. This was recognized some time ago, such that the property was valued at £8.7m on completion of the five-year refurbishment in 2001. This figure did not reflect an investment of £7m in a building purchased in 1996 for £5m – that is what the “loss” relates to, not the current situation.
The property was valued this year at £6.4m by the District Valuer. The sale price was £8.75m. The Trust will make a gain of £1.1m on the sale which will cover the costs of relocating to more cost-effective premises. Ongoing savings thereafter will allow the Trust to invest more in its core conservation work.