Calls for ‘quality leadership’ for HES after Robertson exit

The agency, given £74 million a year of public funding to look after more than 300 of the country's most important historic buildings and sites, including Edinburgh Castle and the neolithic Skara Brae settlement on Orkney, has experienced a period of prolonged turmoil.

Its chief executive Katerina Brown went on sick leave from May to October last year and a grievance inquiry was lodged against her by the organisation's senior leadership team.

The Herald revealed last month that Ms Brown is no longer under investigation and the HES board decided to take no disciplinary action against her after reviewing the grievance inquiry's report.

The Herald also revealed that the agency's chair Sir Mark Jones, who was appointed last October for four years, is preparing to step down. He had been considering leaving the role ahead of the election on May 7 but the Scottish Government persuaded him to remain in post until after polling day.

Read More:

• HES staff are 'stressed, upset and angry', says union boss
• HES: Long-running grievance probe into chief now over
• Sir Mark Jones 'preparing to step down' as HES chair
• Angus Robertson clarifies HES evidence after email leak

Meanwhile, the organisation's former chair Dr Hugh Hall stepped down before the end of his four year tenure last August while a major report published in December by the public spending watchdog Audit Scotland found "unacceptable weaknesses" in how the agency is run.

Former culture secretary Mr Robertson faced criticism in Holyrood after emails leaked to The Herald revealed he had not met with Dr Hall despite repeated requests from him last summer while the agency was gripped in crisis. Mr Robertson later defended his oversight of the agency telling MSPs, civil servants had regularly met with Dr Hall and the board.

In its election manifesto published last month, the SNP promised a review of the structures of HES under its public sector reform programme.

HES chief executive Katerina Brown (Image: PA)

Mr Hardy declined to comment on Mr Robertson losing his Edinburgh Central seat but asked about what the union hoped for HES, he said: "What our members would really like to see is a period of calm, informed and quality leadership, at both political, board and operational level.

"What was, until late 2024, a high functioning organisation needs to return to delivering for the people of Scotland , and the staff who work there."

The Scottish Government's public sector reform programme was published in June last year and aims to make services run more efficiently and effectively by increase use digitalisation, and cutting out duplication and a greater focus on prevention.

It also proposes to reduce the number Scottish Government's quangos and cut the number of people employed in the public sector in a bid to fill a looming £4.7 billion black hole in public finances.

Ahead of the election it was strongly criticised by Lilian Macer, Scottish Secretary of the trade union Unison, who told The Herald it would have a "catastrophic" impact on the delivery of already struggling public services.

Unison calculated the strategy would mean a reduction of 15,000 staff during the new parliament while the think tank IPPR Scotland estimate the number would be almost 20,000.

Mr Robertson was ousted from his Edinburgh Central seat by the former Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater.

Edinburgh Central was one of two constituencies won by the Greens which saw the party win 15 MSPs, a record number in a Holyrood election. The Greens also won Nicola Sturgeon's former seat of Glasgow Southside with Holly Bruce becoming the new MSP.

Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr, who was a member of the culture committee in the last parliament, said: “What Historic Environment Scotland now urgently requires is political leadership and a Cabinet Secretary prepared to grip this situation instead of allowing the organisation to drift from one crisis to the next.

“The reality is that HES has spent years mired in controversy, allegations about workplace culture and repeated governance concerns while ministers appeared content to look the other way.

“Meanwhile, it is the hardworking staff at HES who have been left carrying the reputational damage. These are people who care deeply about protecting Scotland’s historic environment and who deserve far better than the instability and toxicity which has been allowed to fester inside this organisation."

A HES spokeswoman said: "We note the recent election results and remain focused on providing stability for Historic Environment Scotland.

"Our priority is ensuring the organisation continues to deliver effectively for Scotland’s historic environment, its workforce, and the people of Scotland."

The First Minister is expected to make Cabinet appointments next week.