Scottish Land Commission

31/08/2026

⏳ A reminder that we’re recruiting for a Finance & Business Systems Lead.

If you have solid finance experience and are looking for a varied role where you can get involved in much more than the numbers, we’d love to hear from you.

Alongside leading our financial management and planning, you’ll work across governance, audit, procurement, risk and business systems as part of our small team.

💷 £48,415-£57,000
📍 Inverness, with hybrid working
⏰ Full-time or part-time applications welcome
📄 Permanent

Applications close 5pm, Friday 18 September.

Find out more and apply: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/work-with-us -1

28/08/2026

Good community engagement is about more than the conversations you see on the surface 🧊

Starting early, sharing clear information, listening to different perspectives and keeping people updated all help make engagement meaningful. There’s often a lot going on beneath the surface to get good practice right.

Explore our practical guidance on engaging communities in decisions about land: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/get-advice-and-support/toolkits-and-guides

27/08/2026

Scotland has the opportunity to change the way we design and administer tax land and property to open up more tax options.

Today we’ve published a practical five-year route-map setting out the foundations needed to do that.

The Commission has previously recommended reforms to make more effective use of land and property taxation. But meaningful reform needs the right foundations in place to make it deliverable.

Our route-map focuses on four areas:

📍 Making better use of land data for tax decisions – including more complete and up-to-date information on land ownership, use and value.

🏠 Improving land and property valuation – making it easier to value land and property regularly and use that information alongside other land data.

🔗 Building a more joined-up system for delivery – with better coordination, digital infrastructure and a user-focused approach.

💡 Innovating and testing opportunities – so potential tax reforms can be modelled and tested before wider implementation.

These practical changes can deliver benefits along the way, while creating greater flexibility to consider how tax could support economic development, land reform, town centre regeneration and reducing emissions from land.

As our Head of Policy Kathie Pollard says: “This is a long-term programme, but it doesn’t mean waiting five years to see results.”

Read the five-year route-map: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/news/five-year-route-map-sets-out-foundations-for-future-land-tax-reform

26/08/2026

Invitation to Tender: Evaluation of Rural Land Market Reporting

For the past five years, our Rural Land Market Insights and Data reports have provided evidence and insight into Scotland’s rural land market and have been used by researchers, public bodies, Scottish Government, the private sector and others.

We’re now looking for a contractor to help us understand the difference this reporting is making and how it could develop in future.

The evaluation will explore:

🔹 the impact of the reporting on policy and decision-making
🔹 the effectiveness of our current approach and opportunities to improve it
🔹 its economic value and wider benefits
🔹 how the reports are being used, referenced and shared across different networks
🔹 recommendations for the future of rural land market reporting

The work is expected to use mixed research methods, with the findings informing our next steps for rural land market reporting.

Maximum budget: £15,000 excluding VAT

Find out more: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG563053

21/08/2026

Missed our community ownership webinar? The recording is now available to watch on YouTube.

The session was heavily subscribed and brought together leading researchers to explore how policy and practical changes can better support communities to achieve their ownership aspirations.

We heard insights from recent research into the current state, impact and demand for community ownership in Scotland, as well as practical ideas for strengthening the support available to communities.

A huge thank you to Bobby Macaulay and Catriona Mallows from UHI, Carey Doyle from SRUC, and our own Gemma Campbell, Julie Rostan and Kathie Pollard for sharing their expertise – and to everyone who joined us on the day.

A small caveat before you watch: we had a few audio issues at the beginning of the webinar. They do improve, and we promise the discussion that follows is well worth sticking with!

▶️ Watch the recording on YouTube:

How can policy and practical changes strengthen and support deliver...

20/08/2026

Our newsletter has been a little quiet over the last few months while we’ve been busy with some major pieces of work. But it’s coming back, with our next edition focusing on land and tax.

We’ll be bringing together our recent work on land valuation and information, land value taxation, business rates for shooting and deer forests, and how tax could help bring long-term derelict land back into use.

We’ll also be setting out a practical five-year route-map for modernising Scotland’s land and property tax administration.

If you’re interested in how modernising tax administration could support national priorities including economic development, land reform, town centre regeneration and reducing emissions from land, sign up to our mailing list to get the next edition straight to your inbox.

https://scot.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ede07827ec4f2ca8d693b0c09&id=3214c08d23

19/08/2026

We’re recruiting: Finance & Business Systems Lead 🖥️

This is an excellent role for someone who enjoys finance but also likes getting involved in the wider workings of an organisation.

You’ll lead our financial management and planning, but your work will also take you into areas including governance, audit, procurement, risk and business systems. You’ll work closely with colleagues right across our small team and have plenty of opportunity to shape how we do things.

This is a varied role and full training can be given, we don’t expect anyone to be able to do every part of the job straightaway. Everyone has a learning curve. If you have solid finance experience, are willing to learn and like the sound of the role, we’d encourage you to apply.

💷 £48,415 - £57,000
📍 Inverness, with hybrid working available
⏰ 35 hours a week – part-time and full-time applications welcome
📄 Permanent

Applications close 5pm, Friday 18 September.

Find out more and apply: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/work-with-us -1

17/08/2026

Our Community Benefits from Nature Adviser, Annabel, joined the Green Finance Institute’s podcast for the final episode of its special series on UK nature finance, exploring the human side of natural capital and why involving communities matters as private investment in nature grows.

In this clip, Annabel explains the important distinction between community engagement and community benefits.

🎧 Listen to the clip below, and catch the full episode to hear more about community voice, good practice and making sure investment in nature works for the people who live alongside it.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nONhz7zIsmC2xmqCARHTx

13/08/2026

📅 A quick reminder...

Registration is still open for our Next steps for community ownership in Scotland webinar on 20 August.

If you're interested in the future of community ownership, this is a great opportunity to hear from experts, ask your questions and join the conversation.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/next-steps-for-community-ownership-in-scotland-tickets-1995909532139

11/08/2026

One month into her new role and Ellen has already covered a lot of ground 🚜

As our new Tenant Farming Officer, she’s been getting stuck into mediation, casework, meeting people across the sector and finding better ways to connect landlords and tenants with the support available to them.

In her first blog, Ellen shares what she’s been working on so far and what’s coming next.

https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/news/my-first-month-as-tenant-farming-officer