The Scottish Government has asked Scotland's Crofting Commission to take urgent action to improve performance in 'crucial' areas, describing some of them as 'worrying failures'
The Government has produced a 'Crofting Commission Governance Review', which highlighted a range of areas that need 'urgent action'.
The Crofting Commission's principal function is regulating crofting, re-organising crofting and promoting the interests of crofting.
But the Government has found 'worrying failures' within the structure of the commission.
There has been a long-running row at the commission over its leadership and the management of common grazing land.
Its governance standards, procedures and other arrangements, at both executive and non-executive levels, were urged to underpin 'effective decision-making'.
The Review said arrangements for handling conflicts of interest needed to improve.
And the Government urged the Crofting Commission to ensure that capacity building and development needs of Board members are met and that the necessary training is provided.
'Notable and worrying failures'
Scotland's Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said the Review highlights 'notable and worrying failures' in the governance of the crofting commission which must be improved 'immediately'.
Mr Ewing said: “That is why I have asked the new Chief Executive to urgently prepare an action plan to take this forward.”
“Crofting is an integral part of Scottish rural life and it is essential that it has an effective regulator. This review, and the action plan which will follow, must help to deliver the necessary changes and ensure the commission is able to lead the crofting industry forward.”
Crofting Commission Chief Executive Bill Barron said: “A number of important points have been made in the governance review and we are committed to ensuring robust processes are in place to achieve a high standard of governance within the organisation.
“We have already made some of the improvements recommended in the review and building on this, along with continuous improvement, will help us to create a focussed and effective Commission.”
