The Trustees of the Ross of Mull Historical Centre are delighted to announce that the Centre’s application for conversion into a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation has been accepted by The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) from 25th June 2019.

A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation is a legal structure which has been purpose built for the charity sector in Scotland. It provides limited liability and a separate legal identity to organisations that want to become charities but do not want or need the complex structure of company law. This means that even the smallest charity can access the benefits of incorporation – including limited liability and legal capacity.

It is only available to charities with a principal office in Scotland and is regulated by OSCR and subject to the Charities and Trustee Investment Act (Scotland) 2005.

A SCIO can hold property, enter into leases and employ people in its own right. Title to land and buildings will be held in the name of the SCIO (an advantage in terms of succession). Members’ and trustees’ liability is limited in most cases, and they are not liable to contribute if the SCIO is wound up.

Members are subject to some of the same duties as charity trustees, specifically, they must act in the interests of the SCIO, and seek, in good faith, to ensure the SCIO acts in a manner which is consistent with its charitable purposes.

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