James MacKessack-Leitch
@jamesmackl.bsky.social
Policy & Practice Lead at the Scottish Land Commission - land rights, law, philosophy, and governance. Farmers loon and foodie!
linkedin.com/in/james-mackessack-leitch/
linkedin.com/in/james-mackessack-leitch/
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
Thank you to everyone who took part in our ScotLand Futures survey. More than 1,200 people shared their views, and 96% told us Scotland still needs further action on land reform 👇
buff.ly/tSiMkVO
buff.ly/tSiMkVO
November 25, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Thank you to everyone who took part in our ScotLand Futures survey. More than 1,200 people shared their views, and 96% told us Scotland still needs further action on land reform 👇
buff.ly/tSiMkVO
buff.ly/tSiMkVO
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
A valuable opportunity for researchers to dig into what’s driving the shift from largescale to smaller community acquisitions and how we remove barriers to communities taking ownership of land at scale.
If you work on land reform, rural development or community wealth building, take a look 👇
If you work on land reform, rural development or community wealth building, take a look 👇
📢 New SEFARI Gateway fellowship with @scottishlandcom.bsky.social.
Explore changes in demand for largescale community land acquisitions in Scotland & identify steps to overcome barriers preventing new acquisitions.
To apply & for more info ➡️ tinyurl.com/SLCfellowship
⌛Apply by: 21st Nov 2025
Explore changes in demand for largescale community land acquisitions in Scotland & identify steps to overcome barriers preventing new acquisitions.
To apply & for more info ➡️ tinyurl.com/SLCfellowship
⌛Apply by: 21st Nov 2025
October 28, 2025 at 1:38 PM
A valuable opportunity for researchers to dig into what’s driving the shift from largescale to smaller community acquisitions and how we remove barriers to communities taking ownership of land at scale.
If you work on land reform, rural development or community wealth building, take a look 👇
If you work on land reform, rural development or community wealth building, take a look 👇
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
📌 Scotland takes important step towards fairer use and ownership of land
Scottish Land Commission statement on the passing of the Land Reform Bill
Scottish Land Commission statement on the passing of the Land Reform Bill
November 5, 2025 at 7:10 PM
📌 Scotland takes important step towards fairer use and ownership of land
Scottish Land Commission statement on the passing of the Land Reform Bill
Scottish Land Commission statement on the passing of the Land Reform Bill
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
Closing date approaching 📅
Applications for our Research Officer role close on Wednesday 21.
If you are passionate about research and policymaking and want to contribute to land reform in Scotland this is an exciting opportunity.
Full job description and details 👉 buff.ly/McYbcLg
Applications for our Research Officer role close on Wednesday 21.
If you are passionate about research and policymaking and want to contribute to land reform in Scotland this is an exciting opportunity.
Full job description and details 👉 buff.ly/McYbcLg
May 16, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Closing date approaching 📅
Applications for our Research Officer role close on Wednesday 21.
If you are passionate about research and policymaking and want to contribute to land reform in Scotland this is an exciting opportunity.
Full job description and details 👉 buff.ly/McYbcLg
Applications for our Research Officer role close on Wednesday 21.
If you are passionate about research and policymaking and want to contribute to land reform in Scotland this is an exciting opportunity.
Full job description and details 👉 buff.ly/McYbcLg
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
📢 Job Opportunity at @scottishlandcom.bsky.social 📢
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
We’re hiring a Research Officer to lead key work including our Land Market Insights reports. Apply your research skills to real-world impact in land reform.
📍 Scotland-based (flexible)
💼 £36,038 - £41,166
📅 2-year post | Secondments welcome
Deadline: 21 May at 12pm
Apply here: buff.ly/8THAj2K
📍 Scotland-based (flexible)
💼 £36,038 - £41,166
📅 2-year post | Secondments welcome
Deadline: 21 May at 12pm
Apply here: buff.ly/8THAj2K
April 23, 2025 at 9:33 AM
📢 Job Opportunity at @scottishlandcom.bsky.social 📢
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
📢 Job Opportunity at @scottishlandcom.bsky.social 📢
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
We’re hiring a Research Officer to lead key work including our Land Market Insights reports. Apply your research skills to real-world impact in land reform.
📍 Scotland-based (flexible)
💼 £36,038 - £41,166
📅 2-year post | Secondments welcome
Deadline: 21 May at 12pm
Apply here: buff.ly/8THAj2K
📍 Scotland-based (flexible)
💼 £36,038 - £41,166
📅 2-year post | Secondments welcome
Deadline: 21 May at 12pm
Apply here: buff.ly/8THAj2K
April 23, 2025 at 9:33 AM
📢 Job Opportunity at @scottishlandcom.bsky.social 📢
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
Probably the most exciting Research Job going in Scotland at the moment!
Please share with networks and anyone you know who might be interested - if you are interested, please also feel free to ask me about the role!
Great to see @scottishlandcom.bsky.social land markets reporting setting the context for today’s Public Landowners Conference!
March 25, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Great to see @scottishlandcom.bsky.social land markets reporting setting the context for today’s Public Landowners Conference!
Delighted to welcome @caitlinhafferty.bsky.social to chat to @scottishlandcom.bsky.social colleagues this morning about her work and recent paper.
Thoroughly interesting discussion, and an opportunity to consider our approach to land governance. Further thoughts 👇
www.linkedin.com/posts/james-...
Thoroughly interesting discussion, and an opportunity to consider our approach to land governance. Further thoughts 👇
www.linkedin.com/posts/james-...
Diverse and Collaborative Governance – A Guide | James MacKessack-Leitch
Delighted to welcome Caitlin Hafferty to chat to colleagues at the Scottish Land Commission this morning about her work and recently published paper "Unpacking…
www.linkedin.com
March 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Delighted to welcome @caitlinhafferty.bsky.social to chat to @scottishlandcom.bsky.social colleagues this morning about her work and recent paper.
Thoroughly interesting discussion, and an opportunity to consider our approach to land governance. Further thoughts 👇
www.linkedin.com/posts/james-...
Thoroughly interesting discussion, and an opportunity to consider our approach to land governance. Further thoughts 👇
www.linkedin.com/posts/james-...
Great to see our @scottishlandcom.bsky.social Governance Guide published!
Full of inspiring and often untold stories from across Scotland and beyond that show how land can deliver for people and prosperity in innovative ways, this is also a call to action, and will be a regularly updated resource!
Full of inspiring and often untold stories from across Scotland and beyond that show how land can deliver for people and prosperity in innovative ways, this is also a call to action, and will be a regularly updated resource!
📢 New Governance Guide – diverse and collaborative approaches
Explore real-life examples of how good governance is transforming how land is managed in Scotland in our newly published guide.
Learn more about the benefits of collaboration and find inspiring case studies on our interactive map.
Explore real-life examples of how good governance is transforming how land is managed in Scotland in our newly published guide.
Learn more about the benefits of collaboration and find inspiring case studies on our interactive map.
March 5, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Great to see our @scottishlandcom.bsky.social Governance Guide published!
Full of inspiring and often untold stories from across Scotland and beyond that show how land can deliver for people and prosperity in innovative ways, this is also a call to action, and will be a regularly updated resource!
Full of inspiring and often untold stories from across Scotland and beyond that show how land can deliver for people and prosperity in innovative ways, this is also a call to action, and will be a regularly updated resource!
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
📢 New @clanscot.bsky.social Website Launched!
This is a new hub for researchers, policymakers & community landowners to share knowledge & collaborate, and features:
🔎 Free research library
🤝 Expert connections
📖 Open access resources
Visit the website 👉 https://clan.scot
This is a new hub for researchers, policymakers & community landowners to share knowledge & collaborate, and features:
🔎 Free research library
🤝 Expert connections
📖 Open access resources
Visit the website 👉 https://clan.scot
January 31, 2025 at 2:15 PM
📢 New @clanscot.bsky.social Website Launched!
This is a new hub for researchers, policymakers & community landowners to share knowledge & collaborate, and features:
🔎 Free research library
🤝 Expert connections
📖 Open access resources
Visit the website 👉 https://clan.scot
This is a new hub for researchers, policymakers & community landowners to share knowledge & collaborate, and features:
🔎 Free research library
🤝 Expert connections
📖 Open access resources
Visit the website 👉 https://clan.scot
More updates to the starter pack!
Amongst the new faces is @clanscot.bsky.social - about to celebrate a 3rd birthday in style - the leading network for academics (or indeed anyone!) with an interest in the latest developments in Scottish community land ownership research!
Amongst the new faces is @clanscot.bsky.social - about to celebrate a 3rd birthday in style - the leading network for academics (or indeed anyone!) with an interest in the latest developments in Scottish community land ownership research!
January 27, 2025 at 6:57 PM
More updates to the starter pack!
Amongst the new faces is @clanscot.bsky.social - about to celebrate a 3rd birthday in style - the leading network for academics (or indeed anyone!) with an interest in the latest developments in Scottish community land ownership research!
Amongst the new faces is @clanscot.bsky.social - about to celebrate a 3rd birthday in style - the leading network for academics (or indeed anyone!) with an interest in the latest developments in Scottish community land ownership research!
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
We welcome the Scottish Land Commission's calls for the new #LandReform Bill to require many more estates to create Land Management Plans.🗺️
We hope Ministers take the recommendation seriously. It'd encourage more land managers to proactively support access, inc to greenspace on people's doorsteps.⤵️
We hope Ministers take the recommendation seriously. It'd encourage more land managers to proactively support access, inc to greenspace on people's doorsteps.⤵️
January 21, 2025 at 10:58 AM
We welcome the Scottish Land Commission's calls for the new #LandReform Bill to require many more estates to create Land Management Plans.🗺️
We hope Ministers take the recommendation seriously. It'd encourage more land managers to proactively support access, inc to greenspace on people's doorsteps.⤵️
We hope Ministers take the recommendation seriously. It'd encourage more land managers to proactively support access, inc to greenspace on people's doorsteps.⤵️
Really pleased to see our advice on Part 1 of the Land Reform Bill published this morning!
This has been in the works for a wee while and contains a wide mix of advice from technical tweaks, to significant simplifications, to bolder public sector leadership.
This has been in the works for a wee while and contains a wide mix of advice from technical tweaks, to significant simplifications, to bolder public sector leadership.
📄 Strengthening the Land Reform Bill
We have published advice to Minister on Part 1 of the Bill. The Bill looks to address power imbalances from concentrated land ownership. Our recommendations focus on strengthening those measures and simplifying their implementation.
https://buff.ly/4fXtgBn
We have published advice to Minister on Part 1 of the Bill. The Bill looks to address power imbalances from concentrated land ownership. Our recommendations focus on strengthening those measures and simplifying their implementation.
https://buff.ly/4fXtgBn
January 21, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Really pleased to see our advice on Part 1 of the Land Reform Bill published this morning!
This has been in the works for a wee while and contains a wide mix of advice from technical tweaks, to significant simplifications, to bolder public sector leadership.
This has been in the works for a wee while and contains a wide mix of advice from technical tweaks, to significant simplifications, to bolder public sector leadership.
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
As 2024 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the impactful work we’ve done this year that has helped shape Scotland’s land reform journey.
Swipe to explore some of the highlights 👀
Looking ahead, we remain focused on making more of Scotland's land—stay tuned!
Swipe to explore some of the highlights 👀
Looking ahead, we remain focused on making more of Scotland's land—stay tuned!
December 31, 2024 at 1:00 PM
As 2024 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the impactful work we’ve done this year that has helped shape Scotland’s land reform journey.
Swipe to explore some of the highlights 👀
Looking ahead, we remain focused on making more of Scotland's land—stay tuned!
Swipe to explore some of the highlights 👀
Looking ahead, we remain focused on making more of Scotland's land—stay tuned!
A few more updates for the new year!
Now joined by my irrepressible SLC colleague @kgrantslc.bsky.social and newly minted Land Commissioner @calummacleod.bsky.social
Now joined by my irrepressible SLC colleague @kgrantslc.bsky.social and newly minted Land Commissioner @calummacleod.bsky.social
December 31, 2024 at 2:40 PM
A few more updates for the new year!
Now joined by my irrepressible SLC colleague @kgrantslc.bsky.social and newly minted Land Commissioner @calummacleod.bsky.social
Now joined by my irrepressible SLC colleague @kgrantslc.bsky.social and newly minted Land Commissioner @calummacleod.bsky.social
The @scottishlandcom.bsky.social Rural Land Market Data Report is now out! 👇
Key point is forestry land sales significantly down - farmland and estates steady.
Reinforces earlier findings around challenges in the timber sector and a reality check on carbon speculation.
#LandReform #Maps
Key point is forestry land sales significantly down - farmland and estates steady.
Reinforces earlier findings around challenges in the timber sector and a reality check on carbon speculation.
#LandReform #Maps
December 9, 2024 at 12:50 PM
The @scottishlandcom.bsky.social Rural Land Market Data Report is now out! 👇
Key point is forestry land sales significantly down - farmland and estates steady.
Reinforces earlier findings around challenges in the timber sector and a reality check on carbon speculation.
#LandReform #Maps
Key point is forestry land sales significantly down - farmland and estates steady.
Reinforces earlier findings around challenges in the timber sector and a reality check on carbon speculation.
#LandReform #Maps
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
Excited to be working on this!
We welcome Scottish Government's commitment to exploring the role of tax in land reform and climate action. We’ll support research and engagement to bring forward evidence-based, carefully considered advice supporting Scotland's land and climate ambitions.
December 4, 2024 at 4:32 PM
Excited to be working on this!
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
This pack is a super useful springboard onto bluesky thanks so much @jamesmackl.bsky.social
A few more interesting perspectives added to the pack!
November 30, 2024 at 10:01 PM
This pack is a super useful springboard onto bluesky thanks so much @jamesmackl.bsky.social
A few more interesting perspectives added to the pack!
November 28, 2024 at 4:09 PM
A few more interesting perspectives added to the pack!
Open letter to the Treasury written by Jeremy Moody on behalf of Scotland’s Tenant Farming Advisory Forum (TFAF). The letter concerns the impact of changes to APR and BPR on the inheritance of Scottish agricultural tenancies.
www.caav.org.uk/budget-octob...
www.caav.org.uk/budget-octob...
Budget - October 2024 - Scottish Tenancies - TFAF Letter 22 11 24 - The Central Association for Agricultural Valuers
www.caav.org.uk
November 25, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Open letter to the Treasury written by Jeremy Moody on behalf of Scotland’s Tenant Farming Advisory Forum (TFAF). The letter concerns the impact of changes to APR and BPR on the inheritance of Scottish agricultural tenancies.
www.caav.org.uk/budget-octob...
www.caav.org.uk/budget-octob...
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
In the latest Tenant Farming blog Peter MacDougall explains why there is no better time than now to put a family tenancy in order 🚜
www.landcommission.gov.scot/news-events/...
www.landcommission.gov.scot/news-events/...
November 25, 2024 at 11:46 AM
In the latest Tenant Farming blog Peter MacDougall explains why there is no better time than now to put a family tenancy in order 🚜
www.landcommission.gov.scot/news-events/...
www.landcommission.gov.scot/news-events/...
"If the government wished to give current farm owners the same opportunity to avoid inheritance tax as owners of other assets, it could, for example, make lifetime gifts of agricultural property made before a certain future date inheritance tax free, regardless of the timing of the death."
NEW: The autumn 2024 Budget brought some agricultural property into inheritance tax.
So what are the changes, who will be affected and was the change a good idea?
Read the briefing by David Sturrock, Stuart Adam and @helenmiller.bsky.social
So what are the changes, who will be affected and was the change a good idea?
Read the briefing by David Sturrock, Stuart Adam and @helenmiller.bsky.social
Inheritance tax and farms | Institute for Fiscal Studies
The autumn 2024 Budget brought some agricultural property into inheritance tax. What are the changes? Who will be affected? Was the change a good idea
buff.ly
November 25, 2024 at 2:23 PM
"If the government wished to give current farm owners the same opportunity to avoid inheritance tax as owners of other assets, it could, for example, make lifetime gifts of agricultural property made before a certain future date inheritance tax free, regardless of the timing of the death."
An always interesting bunch of perspectives here!!
November 22, 2024 at 2:59 PM
An always interesting bunch of perspectives here!!
Reposted by James MacKessack-Leitch
🗣 “Scotland has a unique opportunity to use CWB legislation for the benefit of our people and places...”
In our latest guest blog, Naomi Mason shares how natural capital projects can empower communities to co-create and benefit locally.
Read more on our website ⬇️
In our latest guest blog, Naomi Mason shares how natural capital projects can empower communities to co-create and benefit locally.
Read more on our website ⬇️
November 21, 2024 at 10:19 AM
🗣 “Scotland has a unique opportunity to use CWB legislation for the benefit of our people and places...”
In our latest guest blog, Naomi Mason shares how natural capital projects can empower communities to co-create and benefit locally.
Read more on our website ⬇️
In our latest guest blog, Naomi Mason shares how natural capital projects can empower communities to co-create and benefit locally.
Read more on our website ⬇️