Last night saw Trust members gather in An Talla to consider a small proposed change to the Memorandum and Article of Association, which would explicitly allow the Trust to facilitate the process of a ‘Part 3’ buy-out under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, if the Community ever voted in favour of such a move.
Following a vote of 27 in favour and 2 against, the following change will be made by Special Resolution:
THAT the existing articles of association be amended to the extent that the following be inserted as article 7( i ), with existing articles 7( i )- 7 ( z ) inclusive being consequentially renumbered as 7 ( j ) – 7 (aa) :-
“( i ) To undertake research and otherwise facilitate any process leading to a potential application to purchase land in the Community by a crofting community body under Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, including any statutory amendment or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force.”
The Trust already have the power to register to buy land/assets under ‘Part 2’ of the Act (non-crofting land) and cannot be the body that applies to buy land under ‘Part 3’ (crofting land), however this change would allow the Trust to support the set up of another ‘Community Crofting Body’, a separate legal entity, that could legally pursue this in the future if the community and crofting community (two separate votes) voted by ballot to support it.
