LEAKED documents show the majority of RSPB Scotland staff are to be affected by some of the biggest cuts ever proposed by the charity – hitting Scotland far harder than its counterparts in England and Wales.
The RSPB previously told Civil Society that the aim of the restructuring was to reduce costs by 7%. However, staff told The National that the Scotland team was facing cuts of significantly more than that.
Now, The National can reveal that the recently announced restructuring could see RSPB Scotland face six vacancies being removed, 49 roles being axed, and only seven new roles created.
Files seen by this paper state that this would see 60 employees directly affected and 219 indirectly affected.
The proposed changes would then see around 22% of RSPB Scotland staff directly affected and roughly 80% affected in some way, much higher than the equivalent figures for England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Staff have told The National that teams in Scotland are likely to be “hollowed out,” leaving fewer people in regional offices, reserves, and policy roles who understand devolved structures and can deliver nature protection tailored to Scottish law and funding.
One staff member affected said: “Just when nature needs our help the most, sweeping cuts are being proposed across RSPB Scotland teams.
“Experienced staff are facing redundancy and teams being hollowed out and centralised. Difficult decisions have to be made, but there’s a lack of understanding of devolution in these proposals.
“Our work to protect nature in Scotland needs people on the ground to deliver it. These proposals risk seriously undermining that.”
In response, a spokesperson from RSPB Scotland stated: "Noting our legal obligations, we can’t comment on specific proposals during an ongoing consultation with our staff. These are proposals, and no final decisions have been taken.
"What we can say is that we're working to ensure the RSPB remains financially sustainable and able to deliver the greatest possible impact for nature in the long-term, in the face of the challenging economic backdrop currently facing charities and businesses.
"Our approach remains strategically led and locally delivered, with strong place-based conservation, partnerships and policy engagement continuing in Scotland, including across our network of nature reserves. We have confirmed that having completed a review of our nature reserve operations around a year ago, we don’t anticipate making any further changes at these sites.
"It is important to note that the proposals follow a comprehensive review across the RSPB, to simplify our structures and make us more efficient. Whilst our teams will see changes, in many cases these will be organisational, such a change of line management or job title.
“We recognise that this is a challenging time for our staff, and we are committed to meaningful consultation, minimising compulsory redundancies wherever possible, and supporting our dedicated and talented teams through this process.”
Earlier in June, the RSPB confirmed plans to restructure to save costs, but said that the reserves would not be part of the reorganisation.
RSPB Scotland manages over 72,500 hectares of land across more than 75 reserves, making up around half of the charity’s total UK land holding.
Earlier this month, the RSPB bought two further islands off Scotland’s east coast – Bass Rock and Craigleith islands in the Firth of Forth – with the support of £586,000 in public money channelled through the National Heritage Memorial Fund.
