…the blog and website of Andy Wightman
Image: Aileen McLeod MSP speaking at conference on Scottish Land and Estates. This month, the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Aileen McLeod MSP gave two significant speeches. The first was on 19th May to the Annual Meeting
Continue readingImage: Badinloskin, Sutherland This is the Keynote Address by Professor James Hunter given to the Community Land Scotland Annual Conference, New Drumossie Hotel, Inverness, 21 May 2015. James Hunter In September 2009, the best part of six years ago, I was opening
Continue readingImage: Commission on Local Tax Reform. Oral Evidence Session 2 Today, the Commission on Local Tax Reform held its second oral evidence session. I am member of the Commission representing the Scottish Green Party. The event was streamed live and
Continue readingDick Balharry, one of Scotland’s foremost naturalists died today. Last week, in Glen Feshie, he was awarded the Geddes Environment Medal for a lifetime’s achievement in environmental work by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (pictured above). I am grateful to
Continue readingScottish Land and Estates, the organisation that represents some landowners in Scotland, attracted a fair bit of press coverage last month for their claim that potential reforms to Scotland’s agricultural tenancy laws could leave the Scottish Government open to compensation
Continue readingGuest Blog by Dr Helen Armstrong Wild deer in Scotland belong to no-one – in legal terms they are res nullius. Yet this public resource has traditionally been managed exclusively by the owners of land. How to ensure the public
Continue readingOn Thursday this week, the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee will take evidence on the Smith Commission proposals to devolve responsibility for the administration and management of the property, rights and interests that comprise the Crown Estate in Scotland (paras 32-25
Continue readingGuest Blog by Fred Harrison, Land Research Trust. Austerity has caused deep anguish for people across Europe. They did not cause the depression that followed the financial crisis of 2008, but they are paying the price. Scotland’s government has announced its determination
Continue readingThe Scottish Government has announced the remit and membership of the Commission on Local Tax reform. I am very pleased to have been nominated as a member of the Commission on Local Tax Reform and look forward to meeting the other
Continue reading“The latest developments in the story of Parliament House (see previous blog) are as follows. ONE Scottish Green Party Councillor Gavin Corbett has had meetings with senior officials in the Council and shares his thoughts here. TWO The Leader and
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