This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Crofters Commission
02/04/2007
Deputy Rural Development Minister Sarah Boyack today announced the new Chair and three appointments to the Crofters Commission.
Drew Ratter will succeed David Green as Chair of the Commission. Ronald Eunson, Angus McHattie and Murdo Maclennan join the Commission as members.
Ms Boyack said:
"I am very pleased that we have been able to strengthen the Board at a time of new challenges through the implementation of the Crofting Reform Act.
"I am delighted that we have been able to attract such a wealth of experience and expertise onto the Board.
"We are determined to secure the future of crofting well into the 21st century. I am confident that Drew Ratter as the new Chair is well qualified to lead the Commission and help us to deliver that goal."
DREW RATTER
Drew Ratter is currently a member of the Crofters Commission, the Scottish Consumer Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. He is also a councillor on Shetland Islands Council, where he is chair of the Economic Development Committee. He is chair of Viking Energy, the Shetland Tamil Nadu Exchange and Shetland College Board of Management. He was born and brought up on a croft, has previously run a crofting advice service, and has written about crofting. He is still an active crofter with a herd of cattle.
This appointment will be for three years and will run from 1 May 2007 to 30 April 2010.
This post is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £28,251 per annum based on a time commitment of 12 days per month. Mr Ratter holds other public appointments as follows: -
Member - Highlands and Islands Enterprise - Remuneration £9,000 per annum Member - Scottish Consumer Council - Remuneration £100 per day
RONALD EUNSON
Ronald (Ronnie) Eunson has been since April 2004 an Area Board Member of Scottish Natural Heritage, and a Trustee of the Shetland Development Trust. In January 2007, Ronnie became a Board Member of the Scottish Organic Producers Association. Ronnie is Vice Chair of the Shetland Crofting Farming and Wildlife Group and Chair of the Shetland Organic Producers Group. Ronnie is also Chair of the 'De Voar' project which is an EU Interreg funded transnational biodiversity project. Ronnie has owned and tenanted crofts since 1985 and relies on agriculture to provide a living for his family. Ronnie's crofting business consists of four crofts and he maintains a herd of Shetland and Hereford cows and a flock of 600 Shetland ewes.
Mr Eunson holds other public appointments as follows: -
Member - Scottish Natural Heritage area board - Remuneration £6,000 per annum
ANGUS MCHATTIE
Angus McHattie has been a Member since 2001 of the SEERAD Integrated Agricultural Control System (IACS) Appeals Panel. Angus has also served two terms as a Board Member of the John Muir Trust and was a Board Member of the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust. Angus has run his own crofting and land use consultancy business for 30 years and has been and is currently involved in many projects in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Crofting Foundation, Highland Council and Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise Company to name just a few. Angus was the local grazings clerk from 1977 to 1983 and is presently a member of the Grazing Committee. Angus is an active crofter producing store cattle and sheep and augments his crofting income through the self catering tourist trade.
Mr McHattie holds other public appointments as follows: -
Member - Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department IACS Appeals Panel - Remuneration £167 per day
MURDO MACLENNAN
Murdo MacLennan was Chairman of the Western Isles Education Business Partnership from 1988 until 1998. He was the first Chairman and a Board Member of Tigheann Innse Gall, the local Housing Agency in the Western Isles, from 1990-1998. Murdo served on the Western Isles Health Board as a Non-Executive Director and Vice Chairman from 1993 to 1998 and as an Executive Director from 1998-2003. He was appointed a member of the Scottish Land Fund in 2000 and served until 2003. Currently he is a member of the Scottish Crofting Foundation and a Director of Lewis Crofters Ltd. He is an active crofter in both Lewis and Harris.
Mr Maclennan holds no other public appointments.
The remuneration for members is £7,087 per annum for 4 days per month.
Member appointments are for a period of three years from 1 May 2007 and terminating on 30 April 2010.
The Crofters Commission is a public body established by the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1955 to re-organise, regulate and develop crofting, to promote the interests of crofters, to review all matters relating to crofting and to advise Ministers on crofting matters.
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development makes appointments to the Board which currently has seven members including the Chair.
This Ministerial public appointment was made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
Mr Ratter has declared that he currently holds political office as an Independent member of Shetland Islands Council, is a member of the Labour Party and has canvassed on behalf of that party.
None of the other appointees had political activities to declare within the last five years.