APPENDIX 1
National Trust Governance.
The National Trust is run by a Council of 52 members who appoints the 12 trustees who run the Charity.The Council is made up of 52 members: 26 elected by the members of the National Trust and 26 appointed by organisations whose interests coincide in some way with those of the National Trust. It is the Councils role to make sure the Trustees discharge their responsibilities properly.
Organisations with appointed members include:
British Ecological Society
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
Campaign to Protect Rural England
Confederation of British Industry
Council for British Archaeology
CountryLand and Business Association
Countryside Council for Wales
Garden History Society
Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies
Linnean Society
National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies
National Federation of Women’s Institutes
National Trust for Scotland
Open Spaces Society
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Ramblers’ Association
Representative of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Royal Agricultural Society of England
Royal Horticultural Society
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
Society of Antiquaries of London
Transport 2000
VisitBritain
Wildlife Trusts
Youth Hostels Association
Each of the eight Regions of the National Trust appoints Regional Committees to provide advice and support to staff in the regions and Wales and Northern Ireland and to the Board of Trustees and are ambassadors for the Trust.
A number of properties, including HatfieldForest, also have National Trust Local Committees who oversee the work of the property and provide advice and support to the property staff. Their membership is approved by the Regional Committee.
National Trust Powers.
Inalienability
The National Trust is empowered to acquire ‘by purchase, gift or otherwise…lands, buildings..and any other property of whatsoever nature’.
Inalienable Land.
Section 21 (2) of the National Trust Act 1907.
Whenever (after the passing of the 1907 National Trust Act ) any lands or tenements (including buildings) shall become vested in the National Trust the Board of Trustees may by resolution determine that such lands or tenements or such portions thereof as may be specified in such resolution are proper to be held for the benefit of the nation and such lands or buildings shall thereupon be held so by the National Trust and shall be inalienable.
Inalienable land or property can neither be sold nor mortgaged. Where inalienable land is threatened by compulsory purchase order, the National Trust may invoke a special parliamentary procedure involving a joint select committee of both Houses of parliament.
Covenants
The National Trust may accept restrictive covenants over land and buildings which may be enforced against all succeeding owners even though the Trust does not own adjacent land.