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National Trust for Scotland - A crisis in confidence? - BAJR Host - 25th September 2009
Quote:The Board and Council of the National Trust for Scotland have shown blatant disrespect to donors, volunteer supporters and employees by failing to consult them about the deep and sudden financial crisis and their incredible decision to close or mothball eleven properties held ?in trust for the nation?.
To avoid a fait accompli at September?s AGM an Extraordinary General Meeting should be called before the Board and Council causes any more harm to the NTS.
The Fact Is?
But for the alertness of the press the incredible decision by the Board and Council of the National Trust for Scotland to close eleven properties held by that body ?in trust for the nation?, the Trust?s 300,000 members would be faced with a fait accompli at September?s AGM.
Safeguarding the marvellous and varied assets built up all over Scotland since 1935 should be the priority through proper maintenance, safeguarding and marketing on an annual basis.
The views of members have been ignored by an undemocratic Board and an unwieldy Council which includes representatives from many Scottish organisations.
Where funds are insufficient the entire membership should be consulted.
So say the In Trust for Scotland group
http://www.intrustforscotland.org.uk/
The crisis is funding is extreme, with many properties mothballed and incredibly the headquarters themselves at Charlotte Square (a Flagship property) is to be sold!
September 26th sees the AGM of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) vote on a confidence motion in, first, the Chair, Shonaig MacPherson and then the Board, high on the agenda.
The result will be of purely academic interest to Ms MacPherson who is becoming an experienced passenger in the ejector seat. She has, as we reported, just recently announced that she is to stand down as Chair of NTS sometime between now and this time next year. In January this year she departed as Chair of the Intermediary Technology Institute.
A divisive figure from the start of her position with the Trust, an article in today?s Sunday Herald, A Crisis of Trust, quotes Rob Gibson MSP, deputy Convenor of the Holyrood Economy, Energy amd Tourism Committee describing MacPherson as ?totally inappropriate? for the requirements of her post.
:0 whats going on??? :face-huh:
read more here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8272700.stm
Quote:Culture Minister Mike Russell said it was not for government to interfere in the trust's workings but that he recognised elements of its "complex and Byzantine" governance needed to change.
Mr Russell said: "At the end of the day the trust has to solve its own problems, come together as an organisation, a membership organisation with huge responsibilities but huge opportunities, and move forward.
let cross our fingers that they do.