Chequing out

You will be aware that fewer and fewer businesses now accept cheques. For RoS, in the context of our prepaid registration fees, we incur significant costs in accepting, for example the cost to us of returning cheques that are incorrect – and this must have cost implications for your firm too.

Having to return cheques also slows down the completion of the registration process. Those firms using our ARTL system already make all their payments by direct debit and this is an essential element in our ability to deliver fast and efficient registration within 24 hours.

Because of the efficiencies that will be delivered, RoS has taken the decision to move to direct debit for all of our prepaid registration fees. This will take effect from 1 April 2010. This move should also be seen in the context of the recent announcement by the UK Payments Council that cheques will be phased out by 2018.

Our current internal finance systems are more than able to cope with this change. Following approaches from customers, we are also looking at our systems to see what changes we would need to make to enable the use of direct debit, and if viable BACS, for postpaid business.

We are sending out application packs to those firms that are not yet set up for direct debit. If you have not already done so, please make sure that your firm is signed up. If you would like more information or to download the pack, please go to: www.ros.gov.uk/fees/ payment.html or contact lynne.carson@ros.gov.uk

Sheenagh Adams, Keeper of the Registers of Scotland

New appointments to Senior Management Team

Non-executive director

Ben Gray joined RoS’s board as a non-executive director in December. The board meets around five times a year and its responsibilities include advising the Keeper on and communicating RoS’s purpose, values and standards, proposing strategic aims and objectives, and monitoring and improving RoS’s performance.

Ben read law at Edinburgh before undertaking a legal traineeship with the European Commission in Brussels. He then worked for an industry lobby association in Brussels and was responsible for their legal and technical affairs secretariat.

In 1994, Ben joined DC Thomson, working as a journalist before becoming part of the team that set up Scotland On Line, an internet services joint venture company with ScottishTelecom. He then developed DC Thomson’s own internet presence before moving to restructure the company’s children’s publishing business. He currently runs the Consumer Entertainment Business Unit.

Ben has an MBA from the University of Edinburgh Management School.

Information director

Jim Bailey Joined RoS as Information Director in January. He is responsible for leading and developing RoS’s information services and for managing the IT partnership with BT.

Jim’s IT career spans 18 years. During that period Jim has worked across a variety of market sectors and roles, including Information Services Director for Scottish Enterprise, managing consultant at Deloitte and Touche, ICT Director with William Grant and Sons Ltd and communications consultant for Logica plc.

Jim grew up and was educated in Dublin. He has BA in geography and archaeology from University College, Dublin.

Director of Legal Services

Sandy McNeil joined RoS as the new Director of Legal Services in January. He leads the legal services team responsible for dealing with pre-registration enquiries, general property matters, litigation on behalf of the Keeper and indemnity and rectification advice. His team also provides specialist input into the Crofting Bill, the Long Leases Bill and the Land Registration Bill.

Previously, since 1999, Sandy worked in the Scottish Government Legal Directorate. His responsibilities there have included advising on contract, procurement and property, and managing the first framework contract for legal services. Most recently, Sandy worked in the Rural Affairs Division where he was part of the team working on the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was recently introduced to the Scottish Parliament.

A graduate of Strathclyde University, Sandy has an honours degree in law and a masters degree in information technology and telecommunications law.