A strategic review of Scotland 's principal nature conservation agency has been completed. It is Executive policy that each public body should be subject to a strategic review every five years. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was last reviewed in 1998 but the review due in 2003 was delayed until discussions with SNH on the relocation of its headquarter functions to Inverness had been concluded.
The review commenced in September 2004 and its terms of reference included:
- Examining the processes for determining SNH policy direction and the relationship between SNH and Scottish Executive
- Reviewing the relationship between SNH and other agencies working in related policy areas
- Reviewing the organisational relationships between SNH's central policy groups and its local operational service delivery
The Review was led by David Bills, former Director-General of the Forestry Commission
The final report of the Review includes recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the relationship between the Scottish Executive and SNH and for better communication of SNH's role. The report also includes recommendations to improve co-ordination between rural bodies for more efficient and effective service delivery.