Councillor’s plea in National Trust fight to save jobs

Government has allocated £3.8m to the NTS.

“There is no doubt that the financial impact of the pandemic on the NTS has been severe.

“While the Scottish Government’s allocation of £3.8m in Barnett consequentials is welcome, further support from the Scottish Government is needed if more of the skilled and specialist NTS posts, such as those at Ben Lawers and Killiecrankie, are to be saved. Even before the arrival of coronavirus, locals had significant concerns for the future of the visitor centre at Killiecrankie due to a drop in visitor numbers and the state of the building.

“Without further support, the prospects for the centre must be uncertain.”

The ‘For the Love of Nature’ campaign team fighting to save the jobs of NTS rangers, ecologists and other countryside staff said it was “shocked” that, despite the £3.8m rescue package from the Scottish Government, NTS will make approximately half of these staff redundant this week.

Over 25,500 people have signed the campaign’s petition lobbying the National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Government to safeguard Scotland’s natural heritage.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “From the outset we have been clear that public funding should be focused on minimising job losses and protecting aspects of our critical cultural infrastructure. This substantial funding will secure nearly 200 critical jobs and support the reopening of 33 heritage sites.

“The severe impact of the pandemic means that unfortunately not all jobs can be saved but this funding will go far to protect as many critical roles across the National Trust for Scotland estate as we can.”