Heritage body chair quits after just nine months with replacement to oversee 'positive and inclusive culture'

Sir Mark Jones, who was appointed by then SNP culture secretary, Angus Robertson, last September, has resigned from his four-year tenure at the crisis-hit quango.

Sir Mark will remain in post until a replacement is recruited, with the new chair expected to start their role in October.

The replacement will be paid £1600 a month for four days work.

Last month, a culture and organisation review, conducted by former Dundee City Council chief executive, David Martin, recommended a significant overhaul of management at HES.

While Mr Martin praised the work of HES’s 1,600 civil servants, he added: “There is no doubt that in recent years organisational performance and strategic focus have not been well served by a combination of unproductive relationships between the HES Board and senior executives, a lack of joint visible leadership and limited collective accountability.”

READ MORE: Culture probe recommends major overhaul at scandal-hit heritage quango

Mr Martin’s report outlined how engagement with the board can be “intimidating” and “challenging”.

HES’s troubles included the suspension and re-instatement of the new CEO, Katerina Brown, following the sudden departure of former chair Dr Hugh Hall.

Ms Brown was suspended from her post after seven of the organisation’s directors submitted a complaint. A probe into Ms Brown concluded that no further action was required.

Ms Brown and Sir Mark previously worked together as National Trust for Scotland.

In September last year, then culture secretary Angus Robertson said he was “optimistic” that the pair would form a “formidable” team at HES.

HES is now recruiting a new chair to take over from Sir Mark - and is offering the successful applicant more than £400 a day.

Speaking to The Scotsman, a board insider said: "It's bitterly disappointing that Sir Mark has decided to stand down. He clearly has outstanding credentials and is well respected across the sector. However, he was set up to fail.

“In may ways he was a lone wolf and was resolute in his determination to resolve the issues in front of him. But truth be told the Scottish government missed a golden opportunity to clear out a board that presided over a culture of chaos and who failed time and time again when it came to governance and leadership.

“Thankfully now recruitment is underway for several new board members. Change cannot come quickly enough."

In a letter to applicants, SNP Culture Secretary, Màiri McAllan, said: “I am looking for an experienced chair who can lead the board and organisation through a period of change and guide it to make important decisions that will influence investment, performance and delivery for decades to come as well as adapting to the current challenges and opportunities in the historic environment sector.”

Ms Brown, writing on social media, said the role was “a fantastic opportunity to help us transform our organisation at this exciting time in its growth and evolution”.

The advertisement states the organisation is “looking for a chair with the proven experience and authority to lead the board through a period of significant change”.

READ MORE: 'Catastrophic impact': Staff call for leadership change after probe clears heritage quango boss

It adds: “The successful candidate will have driven internal culture change, may have faced turnaround challenges, should have an instinct for opportunities in the heritage sector and will have the warmth and energy to engage both the board and the wider heritage and culture community.”

The “essential criteria” for applicants includes “experience of promoting and embedding a positive and inclusive culture”, as well as “relationship management” and “leading change in an organisation with a dispersed and diverse workforce”.

As well as a new chair of the board, the heritage body is also recruiting up to six new board members.

Scottish politics has never been more important - get The Steamie newsletter today

In a stark assessment of the troubles the organisation has suffered, essential criteria for board members includes “challenging the views of others in a constructive and supportive way”, “seeing the bigger picture” and “communicating effectively”.

At the time of his appointment, Sir Mark said it was “an honour” to take up the role.

Within a month, he was infront of Holyrood’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee to take questions from MSPs about the crisis within the organisation.

HES is an arms-length body, which receives around £74m in Scottish government funding and maintains more than 300 historic sites, including Edinburgh Castle.

In December, Scotland's spending watchdog told HES it must address "unacceptable weaknesses" in its governance in a strongly critical report.

Auditor General Stephen Boyle found the heritage body had issues with procurement, data breaches, problems with complimentary tickets to events and no formal register of interests for its leadership team in an annual audit.

Mr Boyle said there had been allegations of a toxic workplace culture, which needed to be fully investigated and addressed.

Scottish Labour culture spokesperson, Katherine Sangster, said: "It is imperative that the next chair of HES works constructively to address the serious concerns raised by Audit Scotland regarding governance at the body.

"Auditors found there were minimal checks on expenses, high costs for foreign travel, and an absence of a policy in regards complimentary tickets to events at HES venues.

"There have also been allegations made about the workplace culture there, including racism and inappropriate behaviour.

"These must be addressed as a priority by the next chair, with progress reported to ministers and the parliament."

Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative culture spokesman, said: “The chairman’s premature resignation is further evidence of the SNP’s chronic mismanagement of this toxic quango.

“Historic Environment Scotland has spent years mired in scandal and crisis while the former culture secretary, Angus Robertson, was asleep at the wheel, failing to engage with the board and misleading parliament about his supervision of the organisation.

“Now the man brought in by the SNP to sort out the bullying and grotesque misuse of funds has thrown in the towel after barely a year in the post.

“Sir Mark Jones has a distinguished record but he has clearly not received the support from ministers that the SNP government promised.“HES receives more than £70million worth of taxpayers’ money every year, so Nationalist ministers must sort out this mess immediately.”

A HES spokesperson said: “Sir Mark Jones remains chair of Historic Environment Scotland and will continue in the role until a successor is appointed to ensure a smooth handover.

“We are grateful for Sir Mark's leadership and commitment to HES during a challenging period for the organisation.”