National Trust for Scotland plans restructure
Aims include cutting costs, investing in properties and increasing income
Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) is working on a restructuring programme in a bid to cut costs and improve the performance of its properties.
NTS, which expects to go out to formal consultation on its plans in April, cares for 129 historic properties across Scotland. One of its aims is to invest in key properties to improve the visitor experiences in terms of facilities, interpretation, enjoyment and engagement.
The plan to restructure follows a review of the 85-year old charity led by the board of trustees, its chairman Moir Lockhead and its chief executive Simon Skinner.
“We have decided that for the next few years we will concentrate resources on a number of priority properties – each of which will have specific projects and initiatives designed to drive up visitor numbers,” Skinner said.
“Our trustees have judged that upfront investment in these properties would give the greatest returns in terms of increased visitor numbers, income, improved visitor experiences and conservation outcomes as quickly as possible.”
The NTS said that while it expects a reduction in total number of staff across the organisation, staffing levels at properties would be unaffected. The aim is to cut overall running costs by 10%.
The trust said the planned changes would be self-funding and at the end of three years would lead to a more sustainable model. The aim is to bring in an extra £8m-£10m a year of additional income for the charity through efficiency changes, more paying visitors, increased numbers of members and growing donations.
The trust’s properties include St Kilda in the Western Isles, Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire and Robert Smail’s Printing Works in Innerleithen. The NTS has more than 330,000 members. In 2014-15, it attracted 2.48 million visits to its properties.
NTS, which expects to go out to formal consultation on its plans in April, cares for 129 historic properties across Scotland. One of its aims is to invest in key properties to improve the visitor experiences in terms of facilities, interpretation, enjoyment and engagement.
The plan to restructure follows a review of the 85-year old charity led by the board of trustees, its chairman Moir Lockhead and its chief executive Simon Skinner.
“We have decided that for the next few years we will concentrate resources on a number of priority properties – each of which will have specific projects and initiatives designed to drive up visitor numbers,” Skinner said.
“Our trustees have judged that upfront investment in these properties would give the greatest returns in terms of increased visitor numbers, income, improved visitor experiences and conservation outcomes as quickly as possible.”
The NTS said that while it expects a reduction in total number of staff across the organisation, staffing levels at properties would be unaffected. The aim is to cut overall running costs by 10%.
The trust said the planned changes would be self-funding and at the end of three years would lead to a more sustainable model. The aim is to bring in an extra £8m-£10m a year of additional income for the charity through efficiency changes, more paying visitors, increased numbers of members and growing donations.
The trust’s properties include St Kilda in the Western Isles, Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire and Robert Smail’s Printing Works in Innerleithen. The NTS has more than 330,000 members. In 2014-15, it attracted 2.48 million visits to its properties.