HICES

Highlands and Islands Croft Entrant Scheme

From 1 April 2005 the Crofters Commission entered into an agreement with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to deliver the Highland and Islands Croft Entrant Scheme across the whole of the Crofting Counties replacing the various Croft Entrant Schemes. We also have been given funding from Argyll and Bute Council to support the Scheme in the Argyll area.

The scheme seeks to stimulate social and economic development within the crofting parts of the Highlands and Islands. By introducing active people to rural communities the scheme aims to encourage wider use of crofting land.

The Highlands and Islands Croft Entrant Scheme (HICES) has been established to address these issues. It encourages inactive crofters to release crofts to young people and offers practical and financial support for young people to remain part of, or join a crofting community.

Demand for crofts from young people has risen steadily in recent times. Despite this, the age profile of the crofting population is getting older and opportunities for young entrants scarce.

By encouraging the transfer of crofts to young new entrants, we directly provide the main support element through the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants (Scotland) Scheme (CCAGS).

To be eligible to participate in the Croft Entrant Scheme, you have to:

• be between the ages of 18 and 40 at date of application;

• be entered on the Crofters Commission's List of Demand;

• never have been tenant or owner of a registered croft;

• and if they have a wife/husband/partner that this person should not currently be a tenant or owner of a registered croft;

• find a suitable croft and submit a fully costed development plan for approval by the Highland and Islands Croft Entrant Scheme Partnership;

• be acceptable to the Crofters Commission if the transfer of tenancy is by way of non-family assignation. In the case of a family assignation the approval of the landlord is necessary;

• take up residence on the croft within the period of the plan;

• agree to undertake a training needs analysis;

NOTE: IN ALL CASES INCLUDING FAMILY ASSIGNATIONS, PROPOSALS FOR ENTRY TO THE SCHEME MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE CROFTERS COMMISSION PRIOR TO THE CROFT BEING ASSIGNED.

SCHEME PROJECT OFFICER (SPO)

Once a croft has been identified, the area SPO will assist both the outgoer and ingoer with the HICES application process. The Area SPOs are as follows:

AREA	PROJECT OFFICER	ADDRESS	TEL/FAX NO
Argyll & Islands	Billy Neilson	27 Cruachan Cottages Taynuilt Argyll PA35 1JG	Tel: 01866 822106
Skye & Lochalsh and part Lochaber	Colin MacDonald	Aultmhor Glenelg by Kyle Ross-shire IV40 8LA	Tel: 01599 522719
Caithness, Sutherland & Orkney	Sandy Murray	Achiemore Forsinard Sutherland KW13 6XT	Tel: 01641 571219 Fax: 01641 571273
Ross & Cromarty and Badenoch & Strathspey	Finlay Matheson	Arinackaig Strathcarron Ross-shire IV54 8YN	Tel: 01520 722666
Shetland Isles	Laurence Anderson	No 2 Roadside Bressay Shetland ZE2 9ER	Tel: 01595 820356
Western Isles	John Smith	c/o Western Isles Enterprise James Square 9 James Street Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2QN	Tel: 01851 707327 Fax: 01851 704130

A CES application form is available to download from our publications page.

HICES

AREA