We support the Note of Concern filed on 10-04-25 requesting that OSCR place the Clan Donald Lands Trust  (CDLT; SC007862) into adminstrative suspension, and launch an immediate inquiry into the circumstances and conduct of the Trust, preventing any asset disposal meantime.

On 24 March 2025, the Clan Donald Lands Trust (CDLT) announced the sale of its land and property assets, including the Sleat Estate and Armadale. These two jewels are the spiritual home of Clan Donald, globally, tangibly binding the clan. There was no prior communication or consultation with stakeholders, either within or without the defined beneficiaries of the Trust  (i.e. Clan Donald globally (‘clansmen’), the Sleat community, or Trust employees).

Their stated intent is to transform into a grant-giving body. It is unclear whether this suggests that a wholly new owner is to be found for Armadale, or some pre-packaged resolution allowing the newly enriched Trust to transfer the assets to a new body wholly owned by the Trust.

The authors of the Note of Concern believe the Trust is being maladministered, and this disposal of assets is invalid and unlawful. The necessity of such disposal is both unrevealed and unproven to the beneficial community, and; no attempt has been made to consult with us on the desirability or structure of such disposal, or potential remedies.

We believe the Trust is not empowered to sell the whole of the Trust’s assets without consulting the community of benefit - the clan. It is being carried out under an amended Deed of Trust which, in itself, represents an inadvertent act of theft of the Trust Fund’s assets by the Trustees from the Clan, which was drafted and ratified by the Trustees, and OSCR, without consultation with the community of benefit. To be absolutely explicit, there is no suggestion of any actual or attempted financial or other gain being realised by any of the Trustees in their own persons. But the undeclared removal and sale of assets from the community of benefit is the technical definition of theft.