The Assembly Trustees

The constitution and remit of the Assembly Trustees was amended and agreed by the General Assembly in May 2019 and then further amended by the General Assembly in May 2022; May 2023 and May 2024.

The constituent committees and groups of the Office of the Assembly Trustees include the Central Services Committee, Trustees' Governance Group, Finance Group, Seeds for Growth Committee, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group and any ad hoc groups created by the Trustees. The Audit Committee advises and assists the Assembly Trustees in the oversight of financial reporting, systems of internal control and risk management.

Central Services Committee

The Central Services Committee is a constituent committee of the Assembly Trustees, reporting to the General Assembly through the Trustees.

The Committee acts as one of the employing agencies of the Church and makesrecommendations to the Assembly Trustees on the staffing and resourcing requirements of the employing agencies of the General Assembly (other than staff directly employed by the Councils) and on the terms and conditions of the staff for whom it is the employing agency.

Committee representatives attend meetings of the Joint Negotiating and Consultation Executive. This is the formal meeting between the Employee Council Committee and the Central Services Committee.

The Committee meets formally once a year to agree upon the level of pay award to be recommended to the Assembly Trustees. This will usually be in October of each year. The Committee will otherwise meet on an ad hoc basis to deal with any emerging issues.

The Committee comprises a Convener and Vice-Convener (appointed by, and who shall each require to be a voting member of, the Trustees) and three members appointed by the Trustees. Meetings are attended by the Chief Officer, the Solicitor of the Church and the Head of HR. Budgetary and financial advice shall be obtained as required from the General Treasurer or a member of Finance staff. The Committee is serviced by the HR Department.

The Trustees

There are twelve appointed Trustees except in time of vacancy. In addition to appointed Trustees, the Business Committee of the General Assembly and The Church of Scotland General Trustees shall each appoint one of their members as a representative who shall be entitled to attend all meetings as a corresponding member but without a right to vote or make a motion, such member being eligible to serve for a maximum period of three years.

Rev David Cameron

ConvenerMinister of New Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock who brings both parish ministry experience and an understanding of the challenges facing the National Church as Trustee and Convener of a number General Assembly, Presbytery Committees and Local Community Organisations.

Geoff Miller

Vice-Convener Geoff is a member at Burntisland Parish Church and has been involved in various Churches over many years as Elder, Session Clerk, Treasurer, Resources Convener and other leadership roles. He has been involved in restructuring Church management and in local Church partnership working. Geoff recently retired as Group Finance Director of an employee-owned international manufacturing Group and is currently its Non-executive Chairman.

Rev Barry Hughes

Administrative Trustee Barry is the Minister at St Mark’s Raploch, a Priority Area parish in Stirling. He was previously an Ordained Local Minister in Peebles, and worked for 25 years in the financial services industry. He also has extensive experience in the voluntary sector, principally with Scouts Scotland.

Crawford Gillies

Crawford is an elder at Dunkeld Parish Church, where he chairs the Finance Committee. After qualifying as an accountant, and studying business in the US, he spent over 20 years as a management consultant advising major corporations across Europe. For the last 20 years he has acted as a Chair or Non-Executive Director in a wide variety of organisations from the private, public and charitable sectors. He is currently Chair of The Edrington Group and Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

David Harrison

Member at Garelochhead, Deputy Chairman of Loganair with significant experience as a Finance Director, Chief Executive and Executive Chairman.

Ian Forrester KC LLD

Ian, elder in St Andrew’s, Brussels, trained as a lawyer in Scotland, New York, and Brussels. He practised as a KC in European law cases for many years until being nominated to be the UK judge on the General Court of the European Union in Luxembourg, hearing appeals against EU acts. He has returned to the Bar as a practitioner after his mandate was ended by Brexit in 2020.

Jean Couper CBE

Member at Cathcart Trinity Church, Glasgow, and previously an Elder at Orchardhill Parish Church, management consultant specialising in strategic HR, with board experience of numerous public, private and third sector organisations.

Jennifer MacDonald

Jennifer is a member at Tillicoultry Parish Church, is employed as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion project manager and mentors young people in their career paths.

Michael Yuille

Michael is an Elder and Treasurer of St Blane’s, Dunblane. Ordained in Eaglesham Parish church in 1982, Michael has served in a number of churches over the years as Treasurer, Sunday School leader and Worship Leader. A Chartered Accountant, Michael has experience of Higher and further Education institutions and the retail sector.

Miranda Heggie

Miranda is a member of St Giles cathedral, Edinburgh, and has served on various committees there including the Nominating Committee and the Neighbourhood Group. Prior to returning to Edinburgh in 2022, Miranda spent four years in Birmingham where she was an active worshipper with her local Church of England church and a member of its Parochial Church Council.

Rev Norman Smith

Norman is Clerk to Lothian and Borders Presbytery. Previously minister of Granton Parish Church, Edinburgh; Convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council and New Charge Development as well as a former director of Fresh Expressions UK, Norman brings significant experience of developing mission at all levels of the church.

Rev Prof Philip Ziegler

Professor of Christian Dogmatics at the University of Aberdeen and associated with the Session of the Cathedral Church of St Machar's, Phil has many years' experience in ecumenical and theological education for ministry in the Kirk and before that in the United Church of Canada.

Assembly Trustee updates

Webinar Wednesday 10 May 2023: Assembly Trustees Report to the General Assembly

As part of the run up to the General Assembly, the Assembly Trustees hosted a webinar to present an overview of the Assembly Trustees Report and to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the Church over the forthcoming months. A copy of the wording used in the presentations from David Cameron, Convener of the Assembly Trustees and Dave Kendall, Chief Officer is provided below.

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