THE board of trustees of the National Trust for Scotland must have been disappointed. According to the NTS Summer 2020 magazine, item six on the agenda for the NTS AGM states the board will propose a resolution to reappoint Neil Oliver as president. No doubt that item will now be amended.

READ MORE: National Trust for Scotland re-opens for first time since lockdown

There are other important questions to be asked about the conduct of NTS. A report in The Times suggested that in 2018 NTS expenditure was £2.88 million higher than its income but by 2019 the figure was £4.94m and it was not attracting enough volunteers. Is it correct, right and necessary that the response of NTS to the virus was to furlough staff and then make a significant number of those staff redundant? Instead of mothballing properties until 2022, could NTS not at least keep opening of these properties under review? What thought has been put into running struggling properties in different and innovative ways? What discussions have taken place with other bodies to secure support for the continued existence of NTS? Are the structures for running NTS fit for purpose?

Melvyn Gibson
via email