Community Land Scotland Chair welcomes visit from Scottish Labour Leader

Community Land Scotland Chair, David Cameron, has welcomed a visit and support from the Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, Johann Lamont.

Speaking after meeting Ms Lamont in Stornoway, following a visit she made to the community owned Galson Estate,

Mr Cameron says: ‘I welcomed the opportunity to meet Johann Lamont and explain the exciting things going on in community ownership of land – and to discuss the areas where we think there is a need to see public policy develop in order to allow more communities to benefit.

‘She was very complimentary about what is happening and I know was impressed by what she saw at Galson and about all the other communities I was able to tell her about.

‘We welcome support across the political spectrum for what is happening through the community ownership of land and the opportunity to brief senior political figures is an important part of our work.’

Ms Lamont has since  paid tribute to the community buy-outs that are transforming Scotland’s rural and island communities.

She said: ‘What is happening on the Galson Estate is inspirational and mirrors what is happening across the Western Isles and I want to see many more communities getting the opportunity to share in the benefits of community ownership.’

Community land ownership n Scotland was born from The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which introduced rights for both Communities and Crofting Communities to proceed with land purchase under certain circumstances.

It has been a radical and a successful measure, seen to have driven a change in attitude to community self-reliance in the move to sustainable futures.