Sealladh na Beinne Mòire is an estate, covering parts of Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides. It came into community ownership in 2007, but has been fraught with disputes and strife.
As it has not submitted annual reports to Companies House, which regulates companies across the United Kingdom, it has been issued to what is termed a First Gazette notice. This is the preamble for the dissolution of a company, usually following two months after the initial notice.
Last month, the directors of Sealladh
na Beinne Mòire agreed to step down, and the three local councillors took over as temporary directors. This was followed by a First Gazette notice on 10th March. Our MSP (Member of Scottish Parliament) has issued a statement. And I'm not impressed.
I am very sorry, but the closing lines of this report displeased me.
I'd rather refrain from expressing my view of an MSP who does not know the implications of a First Gazette notice, has to ask the Scottish Government (like a good boy) what its views are on the possible implications of that notice - the implications are the dissolution of Sealladh na Beinne Mòire. He should be screeching down the A865 to Dalabrog, bang a few heads together, including those of the three councillors who were appointed interim directors last month, and make sure the notice gets cancelled.
I hold strong views about community ownership, as I have outlined in previous postings on various social media outlets. There are quite a few success stories in the Highlands and Islands, such as Assynt, Eigg and Galson (the latter here in Lewis). Sometimes, achieving community ownership involved hard graft against unwilling landowners, as was the case with the Pairc Trust in South Lochs. Sealladh na Beinne Mòire cannot be allowed to fail.
