In March this year the Committee published a critical report which identified major issues in the Crown Estate Commissioners’ management of its responsibilities, particularly in relation to the seabed and the foreshore, including:
- lack of accountability and transparency
- lack of communication and consultation with local communities
- the inappropriateness of the CEC's statutory remit for its responsibilities in the marine environment
- cash leakage from local economies and other adverse impacts arising from the way the CEC operates
- limited benefits in Scotland from the CEC's involvements
The evidence did not identify such problems with the CEC's management of its urban and rural estate.
The Committee was disappointed with the Government and CEC’s own response to the report and returned to Inverness in September for meetings with interested groups and organisations to discuss and how matters of rural land ownership and development could best be progressed.
On Tuesday 3 December the Committee held a formal follow up session at the Inverness Town House with the Crown Estate to clarify how they intend to operate in the future. The Committee published its final report on 7 March 2014.