By Andrew Jarret

NORTH EAST Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone has organised a meeting to form the steering group for the Arbroath Abbey World Heritage campaign.

Invitations to the meeting, which will be held in Arbroath on February 6, have been sent out to head teachers of every primary and secondary school in Arbroath, councillors, community councillors, business people and other organisations.

Each school is also being invited to send a pupil representative to the meeting as the United Nations places great importance in the involvement of young people in the heritage process.

The campaign, launched in November, has caused something of a political row, which Mr Johnstone hopes will abate with the formation of the steering group.

Before the launch, Mr Johnstone’s staff had done considerable research into the criteria under which the abbey might win inscription on the World Heritage Site list and advice was also sought from Historic Scotland, Chief Executive John Graham, whose role would be to advise Scottish ministers on which nominated sites could be put forward for inclusion on the UK tentative list.

Mr Johnstone also met Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson, who would be responsible for proposing Scottish candidate sites to Westminster and who was broadly supportive of the idea and expressed an interest in visiting Arbroath to see the abbey.

The MSP said he was having a further meeting with Ms Ferguson this month.

“Support for the campaign has come from near and far and only this morning I received a letter from an elderly lady in America saying she was delighted with what we are doing,” he added.

“We need local people and businesses to continue adding their support for the campaign so that the United Nations are satisfied that local people want this for their site.

“Heritage Site status can be hugely beneficial, with some sites seeing a massive increase in the number of visitors.

“I am looking forward to seeing the steering group formed and would hope that people who perhaps do not normally come forward to sit on committees will be tempted to do so.”