National Trust lands £600k gift as new era wins approval

The gift, coinciding with a separate donation of 100,000, has been attributed to the appointment at the weekend of Sir Kenneth Calman as chairman.

Sir Kenneth was officially installed as trust members voted 424 to two in favour of recommendations put forward in a hard-hitting review by former Holyrood presiding officer George Reid.

The review, published last month, was endorsed by Sir Kenneth who last year led the review of devolution in Scotland. But he defended the trust against claims there was a "black hole" in its finances.

He said: "In the past, we got a number of properties and we said, 'yes, that seems like a good idea' and took them without thinking about the financial infrastructure required. That won't happen in the future.

"We have to be financially sound and sustainable, and we need the organisational structure to deliver and engage the membership and supporters who have been so good to us during this difficult period."

The 600,000 donation was made on condition it be spent on the Hugh Miller Museum and Birthplace Cottage in Cromarty, Ross-shire. The site had reduced its opening hours in 2008 to save money and the gift is understood to safeguard staff jobs and keep the property open.

Only a dozen properties in the trust's care are fully supported by endowments, while 40 more have their upkeep paid for from other income. In his report, Mr Reid found a "gridlocked" 1920s governance style and said board members have known for years that the current set-up was "not sustainable".

He called for the trust to concentrate on a core of key properties, with management partnerships to be examined in others. Almost 1,500 properties could be shed, leaving behind its 130 core sites, including Culzean Castle and Brodick Castle in Ayrshire, Falkland Palace in Fife, author JM Barrie's birthplace in Angus and the Glenfinnan Monument.

Mr Reid's review found that the trust accumulated "all sorts of bits and pieces over the years", including bungalows, sheds, woodman's huts and steadings. "They're not of heritage significance - get rid of them," he said.

At the annual meeting in Glasgow on Saturday, trust members were urged to "have the courage" to put problems behind them and "go for a fresh start". Outgoing interim chairman Dick Balharry said: "This is a new dawn for the National Trust for Scotland.I am entirely positive about the future.

"The new chairman, Sir Kenneth Calman, and chief executive Kate Mavor now have the remit and authority to move ahead with the trust's modernisation and to ensure it endures to conserve Scotland's heritage."

In Trust For Scotland, formed by disaffected members of the heritage organisation, said they had helped spark "radical reform" and disbanded before the annual meeting.