The Rural Development Council was an advisory body to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment,

Richard Lochhead Richard Neilson Lochhead (born 24 May 1969) is a Scottish politician serving as the Minister for Business and Employment since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he served as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and ...

MSP. Its members include: Barbara Kelly; Donald MacRae of the

Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland plc (Scottish Gaelic: ''Banca na h-Alba'') is a commercial bank, commercial and clearing (finance), clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is part of the Lloyds Banking Group. The bank was established by the Par ...

; Stuart Housden, the Director of

RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...

Scotland; Derek Logie of the Rural Housing Service; Liberal Democrat Councillor Alison Hay from

Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute (; , ) is one of 32 unitary authority, unitary council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod ...

Council; Kate Braithwaite, Director of the Carnegie UK Trust Rural Programme; Alex Walker, chairman of Development Trusts Association Scotland; Shiela Garson from Shapinsay Development Trust; Neil Macleod, the chair of the Scottish Crofting Foundation, Jim McLaren of NFU Scotland; and Liam Beattie, a student from the

University of Stirling The University of Stirling (abbreviated as Stir or Shruiglea, in post-nominals; ) is a public university in Stirling, Scotland, founded by a royal charter in 1967. It is located in the Central Belt of Scotland, built within the walled Airth ...

. The council was formed in 2008 and has met in

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...

Dunkeld Dunkeld (, , from , "fort of the Caledonians") is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The location of a historic cathedral, it lies on the north bank of the River Tay, opposite Birnam. Dunkeld lies close to the geological Highland Boundar ...

and Finzean. Mr Lochhead has said: "I am delighted to see that we now have a forum where the rural voice can be heard at the heart of Government." In 2010 the council launched a consultation paper called "Speak Up for Rural Scotland". The consultation seeks views on "how best rural Scotland can contribute to the nation's sustainable economic growth", noting the potential of the natural assets of rural Scotland and identifying priorities and opportunities. These are listed as 37 "step changes" which the Council considers important. The Council met for the last time in February 2011Minutes of Feb 2011 meeting.
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References

External links

Scottish Government Consultation document and guidance
Rural Scotland Rural community development 2008 establishments in Scotland 2011 disestablishments in Scotland Rural development in Europe {{agriculture-stub