FOUR MEETINGS will be held in Lewis next week in a bid to encourage crofters to take more of a role in their local common grazings committee.

More onerous regulation, coupled with a general downturn in crofting activity, has left many areas without an organising committee, with potential implications for funding and land management.

The Lewis meetings are being organised by the Crofting Commission with a view to, if successful, rolling them out to other crofting regions. The meetings will cover the appointment of committees and the roles of office bearers; regulations; committee functions; carrying out maintenance; and improvements and handling payments and liabilities.

Western Isles Crofting Commissioner Iain MacIver said: “It’s becoming very difficult to get committees in place in certain areas. Fortunately, in Lewis there aren’t as many grazing committees out of office as we’re finding in other areas.

“We actively encourage as many townships as possible to get grazing committees in place because without one, not only is the grazing not being managed, but the villages can lose out on a lot of grant aid and support that is available to committees that are in office.”

Three years ago the village of Upper Coll in Lewis was at the centre of a bitter controversy over the distribution of grazing committee money, resulting in the commission issuing fresh guidance over responsibilities.