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Five years on, seeds of doubt still flourish over crofting reform

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Published Date: 04 November 2009
By JOHN ROSS
A NEW bill to plot the future of crofting will be presented to the Scottish Parliament by Christmas but crofting communities are divided on the way forward, five years after reform was first mooted.
The Scottish Government publishes an analysis of responses to the Draft Crofting Reform Bill today. Despite consensus that land speculation, absenteeism and restructuring the Crofters Commission need to be tackled, there remains division on how to
proceed.

In September, the environment minister, Roseanna Cunningham, dropped a controversial occupancy proposal, that would have meant houses built on former croft land had to be used as main residences.

This was meant to tackle speculation and stem holiday home development. It drew

236 representations with 191 against the principle and just 45 in favour.

Ninety people or groups thought the proposal was unfair. Netta Mackenzie of the Crofters Reform Committee, said it was "total madness" and "contrary to human rights law and natural justice".

Using an occupancy requirement only in areas with a definite problem of second homes was supported by 50 respondents. In its submission, the Scottish Crofting Foundation said: "Many areas do not have a problem with holiday homes so an occupancy requirement on new-builds would only be appropriate in pressured areas".

Two of the seven local authorities who replied were opposed to the occupancy plan, while two others agreed to it in principle.

But among those to support it were the North Harris Trust and Plockton common grazing committee in Wester Ross – both areas where second and holiday homes are a major concern – as well as the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).

Ms Cunningham said: "There is widespread agreement that absenteeism, neglect and speculation must be tackled to safeguard the future of crofting. I am working with crofters, their representatives and all political parties to reach consensus on how best to tackle these issues and to safeguard this way of life for future generations.

"We are nearing the end of this process and our commitment to bring forward a bill is absolute."

The responses show there is support for a more democratic and accountable Crofters Commission, but concern over plans to create six area committees.

A total of 205 of 265 responses were against the plan. Twelve grazings committees were in favour but 28 against. Scottish Natural Heritage backed the move but many communities felt they would not work.

Opinion was split on moves to expand the commission's powers – of the 155 responses, 79 were in favour and 76 against. While some felt it should be streamlined, others felt it should be disbanded or have its powers curbed







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  • Last Updated: 03 November 2009 11:40 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Cynicus Unbound,

04/11/2009 00:13:47
It seems to an outsider that most crofters favour the proposed approach that was thrown out in a previous parliament. This would have made them de facto owners of their crofts- rather like Irish smallholders- with the freedom to sell of parcels of croft land as they saw fit. Unfortunately local young people would be priced out of such a free market. We should have a slow re-run of the Clearances, less violent, but terminal for heartland Gaelic culture.
2

Jimmy Fae the West,

In the Land O' Green Ginger. (HULL) 04/11/2009 00:46:06
I think it is time to drastically limit the amount of sheep reared in Scotland and ban sheep completely from certain regions of Scotland. Contrary to the crofters claims, sheep rearing is not a way of life in Scotland it is just another commercial industry. One which destroys Scotland's natural habitat and endangers the natural wildlife and greatly hastens global warming. Whatever happened to Blair's claims of "Polluter pays"?
3

jerrymanders,

04/11/2009 01:36:31
How many crofters genuinely live the lifestyle?
4

Gary Inserik,

Nova Scotia 04/11/2009 07:39:28
2

Strange thing to say since sheep are used for environmental projects advocated by your SNH and RSPB. They keep heather moorland in check and are essential for grazed grassland for birds etc.

What would you suggest they replace the sheep with? or are you one of those people that want to wrap Scotland in aspic so it can be a play ground for birdy loving folks and other ecological preverts?
5

LEAL,

04/11/2009 07:47:18
2
The number of sheep in Scotland has fallen by a third in recent years.Pretty dramatic.
6

bumpkin,

04/11/2009 08:54:50
sheep are the only way of turning heather into meat.
if you want to starve, remove the sheep.
let the crofters sell their crofts, subject to a section 75 agriculural occupancy condition.
every farm house and cottage in scotland should be the same.
7

Morry,

Scotland 04/11/2009 10:12:19
6, how true you are.
There are many crofters living the lifestyle, there are many more actually working their crofts despite what the statistics say.
Speculation on croftland is a problem but there are fewer crofts actually going on the open market and family transfers are a natural progression.

On the one hand I'd like to see crofting law merge with ag law, and further protection for the tenant.

Absenteeism should not be allowed and those who speculate should be stopped regardless.

Landlords should be made to relet crofts and farmhouses only to those who are willing to work the land.
8

Jimmy Fae the West,

In the Land O' Green Ginger. (HULL) 04/11/2009 10:57:33
4Gary Inserik, Nova Scotia 04/11/2009 07:39:28
2

Strange thing to say since sheep are used for environmental projects advocated by your SNH and RSPB. They keep heather moorland in check and are essential for grazed grassland for birds etc.
___________________________________

Firstly it is not my SNH nor is it my Anthrax that the sheep are used to test!

Sheep are known forest eaters as they graze all the natural saplings.

Secondly, the methane emitted from them has catastrophic results for the poorest.

Thirdly, according to the Scottish Executive’s Environment and Rural Affairs Department, the average net farm income for 2005/06 is estimated to be £10,000.

Strangest of all is that Farming in the UK is bust. Without tax payer subsidies the incomes would be far less benefit to the crofter. It is not a viable existence and the resulting national and global disaster from covering Scotland's once beautiful forested hills with millions of Ovis aries for meat is unsupportable. Perhaps your comments about turning the nation into a huge Grouse-moor theme park for English Countryside Alliance gentry has more relevance to your opinion than you realise?
9

Gary Inserik,

Nova Scotia 04/11/2009 13:00:56
Sheep are known forest grazers?

hahahahaha!

Methane is catastrophic for the poorest?

hahahaha!

UK Farming is bust?

hahahahaha!

Scotland once forested hills?

hahahaha! Not in your life time chum.


Man, stick to anything else but making comments about Scottish Agriculture. For a start, you don't even know how much agricutlure, up and down stream is worth to the Scottish economy.

PS, every industry in the whole of Scotland is either tax payer subsidised or is affected by subsidy somewhere in the supply chain.

PPS, better get shooting all the deer in Scotland since they are known forest "browsers2, natural methane producers and, unlike sheep, wild, unmanaged and almost unfence-able. Same for your wild goats too.
10

peter1958,

Glasgow 05/11/2009 13:38:17
We should face facts and agree crofting is dead.
The interests of crofters are not unified but entirely diverse. The various interest groups who all claim to have the interest of crofters at their heart are unable to control their own members let alone claim a mandate to speak for the community.

Without massive subsidy and the right to sell on to whatever retired English incomer who seeks a remote holiday home - there is no capital benefit in being a crofter.

11

Ciotach,

05/11/2009 23:13:25
One of the problems with this debate is that it's very difficult to speak out against the well-organised, very vocal minority who at the same time as raising in support, the spectre of their crofting ancestors (who must be spinning in their graves at their antics) seem to want to embrace the same free market that made the Crofting Act necessary in the first place. I, for one, am sick to death of reading the above-mentioned Netta Mackenzie (and her spouse) pontificate on subject as though they speak for the majority of crofters. Well, she doesn't speak for this one, and not for a great many more I suspect.

 

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