Comparative Analysis on the Cadastral Systems in the - Permanent ...
Comparative Analysis on the Cadastral Systems in the - Permanent ...
Comparative Analysis on the Cadastral Systems in the - Permanent ...
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Land Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
Prepared for <strong>the</strong> <strong>Permanent</strong> Committee <strong>on</strong> Cadastre of <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong> by <strong>the</strong> Agencies<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>sible for land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> (cadastral) activities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
December 2004
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
2<br />
European Uni<strong>on</strong> <strong>Permanent</strong> Committee<br />
<strong>on</strong> Cadastre<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> of <strong>Cadastral</strong> and<br />
Land Adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>Systems</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tents<br />
1. Preface<br />
How this <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> was prepared<br />
2. Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />
Def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g characteristics of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom systems<br />
3. Land Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
a) In England and Wales<br />
b) In Scotland<br />
c) In Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
4. Land Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
a) In England and Wales<br />
b) In Scotland<br />
c) In Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
5. Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a) In England, Wales and Scotland<br />
b) In Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
6. C<strong>on</strong>tact names and email addresses
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
1. Preface<br />
3<br />
How this <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> was prepared<br />
This <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> comprises separate but associated papers prepared by each of<br />
<strong>the</strong> eight Agencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom resp<strong>on</strong>sible for <strong>the</strong> land<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s which will be found <strong>in</strong> cadastral organisati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong><br />
ma<strong>in</strong>land Europe.<br />
The United K<strong>in</strong>gdom comprises three separate jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s each with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
own law mak<strong>in</strong>g powers; England and Wales, Scotland, and Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland. The term ‘cadastre’ is not used <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom but <strong>the</strong><br />
functi<strong>on</strong>s usually comprised <strong>in</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> activities <strong>in</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>land Europe are<br />
carried out by particular Agencies <strong>in</strong> each of <strong>the</strong> three jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s. Each<br />
has its own Land Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> systems. Nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Mapp<strong>in</strong>g is undertaken by <strong>on</strong>e organisati<strong>on</strong> for England, Wales and<br />
Scotland and a separate organisati<strong>on</strong> for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland.<br />
These systems share many similarities but also some differences with<br />
system elsewhere. Never<strong>the</strong>less <strong>the</strong> objectives of good land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong><br />
are those of cadastral organisati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> Europe and world wide.<br />
The c<strong>on</strong>tact names and email addresses for each of <strong>the</strong> Agencies are shown<br />
at Part 6 of this document for those who wish to make fur<strong>the</strong>r enquiries<br />
about cadastral and land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom.<br />
John Manthorpe<br />
December 2004<br />
landman@dirc<strong>on</strong>.co.uk
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
2. Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />
4<br />
Def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g characteristics of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
systems<br />
In order to understand <strong>the</strong> land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> systems <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United<br />
K<strong>in</strong>gdom <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g important characteristics need to be understood.<br />
First, all <strong>the</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s normally to be found <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> vary<strong>in</strong>g cadastral<br />
systems of c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ental Europe are to be found <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom. The<br />
misc<strong>on</strong>cepti<strong>on</strong> that <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom does not have a cadastre is true<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly to <strong>the</strong> extent that <strong>the</strong> term is not used. The history and c<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al<br />
structure of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom has meant that functi<strong>on</strong>s described as<br />
‘cadastral’ <strong>in</strong> some but not all countries <strong>in</strong> c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ental Europe are<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istered <strong>in</strong> a particular way <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom.<br />
Sec<strong>on</strong>dly, England and Wales, Scotland, and Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland each has its<br />
own law mak<strong>in</strong>g powers. This means that separate agencies <strong>in</strong> of <strong>the</strong>se<br />
three jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s, which toge<strong>the</strong>r c<strong>on</strong>stitute <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom, have<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>sibility, under separate legislati<strong>on</strong>, for <strong>the</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s of land<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong>, land valuati<strong>on</strong> and record<strong>in</strong>g land use.<br />
Thirdly, it is important to understand that <strong>the</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g Agencies<br />
(<strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey for England, Wales and Scotland, and <strong>the</strong> Ordnance<br />
Survey for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> high quality large scale topographic<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g and make it available <strong>in</strong> paper and electr<strong>on</strong>ic formats to all users,<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ually develop<strong>in</strong>g products that meet <strong>the</strong> public and private needs of<br />
customers. O<strong>the</strong>r land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> agencies are customers of <strong>the</strong><br />
Ordnance Survey and have normal customer/commercial relati<strong>on</strong>ship <strong>in</strong><br />
purchas<strong>in</strong>g its map and survey services.<br />
Fourthly, <strong>on</strong>e dist<strong>in</strong>guish<strong>in</strong>g characteristic of land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> systems<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom is <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al framework and structure with<strong>in</strong><br />
government. Historically <strong>the</strong> four ma<strong>in</strong> elements of land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong>; <strong>the</strong><br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> of real rights <strong>in</strong> land, <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> and ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong> process of land valuati<strong>on</strong>, and <strong>the</strong> record<strong>in</strong>g of land use were,<br />
and still are, <strong>the</strong> resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities of separate government m<strong>in</strong>istries.<br />
Fifthly, all <strong>the</strong> agencies are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> public sector. All operate <strong>in</strong> a customer<br />
led and bus<strong>in</strong>ess driven envir<strong>on</strong>ment where f<strong>in</strong>ancial and customer service<br />
standards are a priority and where targets are set and announced and actual<br />
performance is measured and reported publicly. All draw <strong>on</strong> private sector<br />
support where this c<strong>on</strong>tributes to <strong>the</strong> standard of public service that can be<br />
delivered.<br />
Sixthly, <strong>the</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s of Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g, Land Registrati<strong>on</strong>, Land Use<br />
and Land Valuati<strong>on</strong> are all highly developed and well established over<br />
centuries.<br />
The Secti<strong>on</strong>s below describe <strong>the</strong> organisati<strong>on</strong>, functi<strong>on</strong>s and <strong>in</strong>terrelati<strong>on</strong>ships<br />
of <strong>the</strong> various Land Adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> various<br />
jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s that make up <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
5<br />
The Agencies resp<strong>on</strong>sible for land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> (cadastral) functi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom are as follows:<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Land<br />
Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
England and<br />
Wales<br />
Scotland Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland<br />
Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey<br />
of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Her Majesty’s<br />
Land Registry<br />
Registers of<br />
Scotland<br />
Land Valuati<strong>on</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office Scottish Assessors<br />
Associati<strong>on</strong>*<br />
Land Use Envir<strong>on</strong>ment, and<br />
Agricultural<br />
Departments and<br />
County and Local<br />
authorities<br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>ment, and<br />
Agricultural<br />
Departments and<br />
Local unitary<br />
authorities<br />
Land Registry of<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
Lands Agency of<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>ment, and<br />
Agricultural<br />
Departments and<br />
County and Local<br />
authorities<br />
*This is a n<strong>on</strong>-statutory body represent<strong>in</strong>g Scotland’s 14 Assessors who are<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent of <strong>the</strong> local authorities who appo<strong>in</strong>t <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>ter-relati<strong>on</strong>ship of <strong>the</strong> land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> or cadastral functi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom can be illustrated by <strong>the</strong> situati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> England and<br />
Wales, as follows:<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for ensur<strong>in</strong>g that nati<strong>on</strong>al topographic mapp<strong>in</strong>g is ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
to specified high standards rests with <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey. The Head of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Agency is directly resp<strong>on</strong>sible to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister who is accountable to<br />
Parliament for ensur<strong>in</strong>g that nati<strong>on</strong>al survey<strong>in</strong>g and mapp<strong>in</strong>g meets <strong>the</strong><br />
specified requirements of <strong>the</strong> government.<br />
It is <strong>the</strong> task of <strong>the</strong> Agency to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> a c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>uously updated topographic<br />
survey of <strong>the</strong> country, provid<strong>in</strong>g to its statutory customers survey and<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g products which meet agreed specificati<strong>on</strong>s that enable those<br />
agencies to carry out <strong>the</strong>ir statutory functi<strong>on</strong>s. It follows from this that <strong>the</strong><br />
Agency must ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> high professi<strong>on</strong>al and technical standards <strong>in</strong><br />
produc<strong>in</strong>g source mapp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> which forms <strong>the</strong> basis of <strong>the</strong><br />
specialist mapp<strong>in</strong>g records ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r land Instituti<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
What dist<strong>in</strong>guishes <strong>the</strong> arrangements <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom from many<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r countries is that whilst <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey does record <strong>the</strong> physical<br />
features <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> ground it is not itself <strong>the</strong> holder or recorder of specialist data<br />
<strong>on</strong>, for <strong>in</strong>stance, ownership rights, land valuati<strong>on</strong> or land use. Such records
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
6<br />
are ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong> particular Agencies referred to below who, because of<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir specialist resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities are able to tailor <strong>the</strong>ir records based <strong>on</strong><br />
Ordnance Survey maps with whatever <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> is c<strong>on</strong>sidered necessary.<br />
In this scenario <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey Agency is <strong>the</strong> supplier and <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registry, <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office, <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry of Agriculture, Municipalities<br />
and o<strong>the</strong>r users are customers. These government agencies, as customers,<br />
pay <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey Agency for <strong>the</strong> products and services provided, as<br />
do o<strong>the</strong>r n<strong>on</strong>-statutory and private users of <strong>the</strong> Agency’s maps.<br />
Whilst <strong>the</strong> remit and separate accountability for <strong>the</strong>se land and mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
related government functi<strong>on</strong>s are clear <strong>the</strong> ‘commercial’ relati<strong>on</strong>ship ensures<br />
<strong>the</strong> closest of technical and service arrangements between statutory map<br />
users and <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey Agency as provider.<br />
Land Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
The resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g public registers of property valuati<strong>on</strong>s for<br />
local taxati<strong>on</strong> purposes rests with <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office Agency, which is a<br />
public Agency of <strong>the</strong> Treasury (<strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry of F<strong>in</strong>ance). The Chief<br />
Executive is accountable directly to <strong>the</strong> Board of Commissi<strong>on</strong>ers of <strong>the</strong><br />
Inland Revenue who are answerable to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister. The Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office<br />
has a nati<strong>on</strong>al network of staff <strong>in</strong> some 80 locati<strong>on</strong>s who ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>, by<br />
survey, <strong>in</strong>specti<strong>on</strong> and from o<strong>the</strong>r sources, authoritative <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
‘annual value’ of n<strong>on</strong> domestic property for rat<strong>in</strong>g purposes, and capital<br />
value band<strong>in</strong>gs for residential properties for Council Tax. These assessments<br />
take account of physical characteristics, ground area, use, and locati<strong>on</strong> to<br />
arrive at open market value. The Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office uses and relies <strong>on</strong><br />
property transacti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> from Inland Revenue Stamps Office, and<br />
works <strong>in</strong> partnership with Land Registry. It also uses <strong>the</strong> large-scale<br />
topographic map produced by <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey. The valuati<strong>on</strong>s are<br />
used by local authorities as <strong>the</strong> basis for rais<strong>in</strong>g local land taxes to f<strong>in</strong>ance<br />
local services. Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office property <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> is also used widely <strong>in</strong><br />
support of public policy.<br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
The resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for register<strong>in</strong>g applicati<strong>on</strong>s relat<strong>in</strong>g to land rights<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g ownership, mortgages, burdens and easements rests with <strong>the</strong><br />
Land Registry, which is a public Agency of <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry for<br />
C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al Affairs (<strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry of Justice). The Head of <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registry is directly accountable to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister. He has extensive quasijudicial<br />
powers and he and his staff will determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> great majority of all<br />
issues and disputes relat<strong>in</strong>g to land rights. The <strong>in</strong>terests registered are<br />
guaranteed by <strong>the</strong> State and those whose rights are registered can be<br />
<strong>in</strong>demnified if <strong>the</strong>y suffer loss through an error or omissi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> register.<br />
Citizens are free to appeal to <strong>the</strong> High Court if <strong>the</strong>y wish to challenge <strong>the</strong><br />
decisi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Registrar. This is very rare.<br />
The Land Registry is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for keep<strong>in</strong>g and updat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> land register,<br />
which is open to public <strong>in</strong>specti<strong>on</strong>. A certificate of registrati<strong>on</strong> (which is a<br />
copy of <strong>the</strong> register held at <strong>the</strong> Land Registry) is issued to each registered<br />
owner, or to <strong>the</strong> lender where <strong>the</strong> owner has taken a mortgage to buy <strong>the</strong><br />
property. Each certificate and register <strong>in</strong>corporates an official plan, prepared<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Registry’s staff, depict<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> extent of <strong>the</strong> registered property and<br />
any registered rights or burdens. This official plan is based <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> largest<br />
available scale of <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al topographic map published by <strong>the</strong>
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
7<br />
Ordnance Survey (<strong>the</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Survey and Mapp<strong>in</strong>g Agency). When an<br />
owner seeks to sell or o<strong>the</strong>rwise deal with <strong>the</strong> land he uses a copy of his<br />
registered title as proof of his or her ownership or o<strong>the</strong>r rights.<br />
Land Use<br />
The overall resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for ensur<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> land use and land<br />
classificati<strong>on</strong> is ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed rests with <strong>the</strong> Department for Envir<strong>on</strong>ment,<br />
Food and Rural Affairs (for <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> relat<strong>in</strong>g to Agriculture) and <strong>the</strong><br />
Office of <strong>the</strong> Deputy Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister (for most o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>). In<br />
many <strong>in</strong>stances <strong>the</strong> Department delegates to Municipal Authorities <strong>the</strong><br />
statutory resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> necessary records <strong>on</strong> land use<br />
and plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The various Agencies and departments of <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istries with direct<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se statutory records also use <strong>the</strong> large scale<br />
topographic maps produced by <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey. The M<strong>in</strong>isters are<br />
accountable to Parliament for ensur<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong>se statutory land records are<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed although, <strong>in</strong> practice, day to day resp<strong>on</strong>sibility lies with <strong>the</strong><br />
appo<strong>in</strong>ted Heads of <strong>the</strong> Departments and Agencies <strong>in</strong> central or local<br />
government.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
3. Secti<strong>on</strong> A<br />
8<br />
Land Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
This Secti<strong>on</strong> describes <strong>the</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s, structure and relati<strong>on</strong>ships of <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Agencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> three jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
a) England and Wales<br />
b) Scotland<br />
c) Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
a) Land and Property Valuati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> England &<br />
Wales:<br />
The Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office Agency (VOA)<br />
The Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office Agency (VOA) is an Executive Agency of <strong>the</strong> Inland<br />
Revenue (<strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry of F<strong>in</strong>ance). It has a nati<strong>on</strong>al network of 80 offices<br />
arranged <strong>in</strong> 22 Groups across England and Wales, provid<strong>in</strong>g statutory local<br />
taxati<strong>on</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong> services for bus<strong>in</strong>ess rates and Council Tax purposes. It<br />
also has n<strong>in</strong>e District Valuer Services units, aligned with <strong>the</strong> English<br />
regi<strong>on</strong>s, Scotland and Wales, provid<strong>in</strong>g valuati<strong>on</strong>s for Inland Revenue taxes,<br />
‘right to buy’, and bespoke n<strong>on</strong>-statutory valuati<strong>on</strong> services across <strong>the</strong><br />
public sector.<br />
The VOA is committed to take a key role <strong>in</strong> driv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> modernisati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
<strong>the</strong> property taxati<strong>on</strong> system, and to be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> partner of choice for <strong>the</strong><br />
public sector <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> delivery of valuati<strong>on</strong> and property advice.<br />
The VOA currently has just over 5000 staff, but this is expected to rise to<br />
nearly 6000 dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> next five years due to planned revaluati<strong>on</strong>s for n<strong>on</strong><br />
domestic rat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 2005, Council Tax <strong>in</strong> Wales <strong>in</strong> 2005, and Council Tax <strong>in</strong><br />
England <strong>in</strong> 2007. VOA is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for compil<strong>in</strong>g and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g lists of<br />
rateable values for 1.6 milli<strong>on</strong> commercial properties <strong>in</strong> England and<br />
100,000 <strong>in</strong> Wales. For residential property, VOA is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for<br />
compil<strong>in</strong>g and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g lists of Council Tax band<strong>in</strong>gs for around 21.7<br />
milli<strong>on</strong> domestic properties <strong>in</strong> England and 1.3 milli<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Wales. VOA has<br />
an Oracle database and a computer centre <strong>in</strong> Worth<strong>in</strong>g, operated <strong>in</strong><br />
partnership with CapGem<strong>in</strong>i.<br />
The VOA’s rat<strong>in</strong>g and council tax valuati<strong>on</strong>s provide <strong>the</strong> base valuati<strong>on</strong> data<br />
for <strong>the</strong> collecti<strong>on</strong> of around £37 billi<strong>on</strong> of local taxati<strong>on</strong> a year. VOA does<br />
this work for <strong>the</strong> Office of <strong>the</strong> Deputy Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister (ODPM) and Welsh<br />
Assembly Government (WAG).<br />
The annual expenditure of <strong>the</strong> Agency <strong>in</strong> 2003/2004 was £187 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
Governance of VOA is by a Management Board (with 25% n<strong>on</strong>-executive<br />
membership) led by a Chief Executive who is appo<strong>in</strong>ted by, and reports to,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Board of Inland Revenue. The Chairman is supported<br />
by an Advisory Board represent<strong>in</strong>g ma<strong>in</strong> clients and n<strong>on</strong>-executives, and by<br />
an Audit Committee, which is chaired by a n<strong>on</strong>-executive director. The<br />
Paymaster General approves <strong>the</strong> Agency’s Forward Plan <strong>on</strong> behalf of <strong>the</strong><br />
Chancellor of <strong>the</strong> Exchequer and formally announces <strong>the</strong> Agency’s key
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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targets to Parliament. Policy is set by <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>isters of <strong>the</strong> client<br />
departments: for local taxati<strong>on</strong> this is ODPM.<br />
The VOA head office is at New Court, Carey Street, L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong> WC2A 2JE.<br />
The VOA website is www.voa.gov.uk.<br />
Latest Revaluati<strong>on</strong> for Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Rates<br />
Effective 1st April 2000<br />
Next Revaluati<strong>on</strong> for Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Rates<br />
Effective 1st April 2005<br />
Next Revaluati<strong>on</strong> for Council Tax<br />
Effective 1st April 2005 <strong>in</strong> Wales<br />
1st April 2007 <strong>in</strong> England<br />
Historical Background<br />
There is a l<strong>on</strong>g history <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK of local taxati<strong>on</strong> based up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> value of<br />
land and property, with its orig<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Poor Laws <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early seventeenth<br />
century. Valuati<strong>on</strong>s for local taxati<strong>on</strong> were orig<strong>in</strong>ally undertaken by local<br />
authorities <strong>in</strong> England and Wales. There were however c<strong>on</strong>cerns that rat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong>s should be adm<strong>in</strong>istered more <strong>in</strong>dependently, as local authorities<br />
were both sett<strong>in</strong>g values and levy<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> charges aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong>se valuati<strong>on</strong>s. In<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sequence <strong>the</strong> Inland Revenue Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office has been resp<strong>on</strong>sible for<br />
local taxati<strong>on</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong>s s<strong>in</strong>ce 1950. Orig<strong>in</strong>ally both commercial and<br />
domestic property values were based up<strong>on</strong> annual values of each property.<br />
Revaluati<strong>on</strong>s were carried out <strong>in</strong> 1956, 1963, and 1973.<br />
In 1990 domestic rat<strong>in</strong>g was abolished and replaced by Poll Tax. This <strong>in</strong><br />
turn was replaced by Council Tax <strong>in</strong> 1993, which is based up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> capital<br />
value of domestic property. Commercial property c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ues to be taxed<br />
based up<strong>on</strong> rental value.<br />
Modernisati<strong>on</strong> of Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Rates<br />
A revaluati<strong>on</strong> is carried out every five years to ensure that <strong>the</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rat<strong>in</strong>g lists are up-to-date. Although VOA has carried out<br />
revaluati<strong>on</strong>s previously (<strong>in</strong> 1990, 1995 and 2000), a ra<strong>the</strong>r different<br />
approach is be<strong>in</strong>g adopted for 2005, to ensure that VOA is work<strong>in</strong>g more<br />
closely with ratepayers and meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir needs. Very careful c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong><br />
has been given <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> run up to <strong>the</strong> revaluati<strong>on</strong> to f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g out what<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> ratepayers need, when <strong>the</strong>y need it, and how VOA can provide<br />
it <strong>in</strong> ways that are c<strong>on</strong>venient, accessible, timely and easy to understand.<br />
The Nati<strong>on</strong>al Ratepayer Valuati<strong>on</strong> Forum and a number of pilot Local<br />
Ratepayer Valuati<strong>on</strong> Forums have been used to <strong>in</strong>form <strong>the</strong> process.<br />
In preparati<strong>on</strong> for com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to effect <strong>in</strong> April 2005, <strong>the</strong> draft Rat<strong>in</strong>g List will<br />
be published <strong>in</strong> September 2004. The majority of ratepayers will receive a<br />
summary valuati<strong>on</strong>, which presents <strong>the</strong>m with details of <strong>the</strong> survey data<br />
VOA hold about <strong>the</strong>ir property, and an outl<strong>in</strong>e of how VOA have arrived at<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir new valuati<strong>on</strong>. Some will receive <strong>the</strong>ir summary valuati<strong>on</strong> by post, and
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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many will be able to view <strong>the</strong>ir valuati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e. This will represent a<br />
substantial improvement <strong>in</strong> transparency, <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with wider government<br />
policy. It is hoped that a lower level of appeals will arise as a result, with<br />
ratepayers accept<strong>in</strong>g valuati<strong>on</strong>s as correct without <strong>the</strong> need to appeal.<br />
Modernisati<strong>on</strong> of Council Tax<br />
For <strong>the</strong> English Revaluati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> 2007, VOA <strong>in</strong>tends to use an Automated<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Model (AVM). This will be <strong>the</strong> largest s<strong>in</strong>gle mass appraisal<br />
undertaken <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world. Detailed <strong>in</strong>vestigati<strong>on</strong> is underway by VOA, to<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sider <strong>the</strong> opportunity for use of new, potentially more efficient,<br />
technology-driven ways of support<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong> process. The AVM has<br />
<strong>the</strong> potential to deliver real <strong>in</strong>novati<strong>on</strong> to VOA domestic property work. The<br />
AVM is a computer-based system that can be used to derive <strong>in</strong>itial<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong>s from data available <strong>on</strong> sales of property, of different types, and <strong>in</strong><br />
different locati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
In 2003 VOA started <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>siderable task of digitis<strong>in</strong>g VOA domestic<br />
property data. When Council Tax was <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> 1993, <strong>the</strong>re was no time<br />
to digitise records as <strong>the</strong> tax was brought <strong>in</strong> <strong>on</strong> a very tight timescale. 2007<br />
is <strong>the</strong> first revaluati<strong>on</strong> to be planned <strong>in</strong> England s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Previously property characteristics were held by VOA <strong>on</strong> paper, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> form<br />
of plans and ledger entries. Seventeen data fields were identified as key for<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong> purposes and are be<strong>in</strong>g data captured for all 21.7 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
properties. It is hoped that <strong>in</strong>itial data capture will be complete by end of<br />
March 2005. This task is currently well <strong>on</strong> track.<br />
Investigati<strong>on</strong> stages c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ue and a M<strong>in</strong>isterial decisi<strong>on</strong> to go ahead with<br />
development of <strong>the</strong> AVM is expected over <strong>the</strong> next few m<strong>on</strong>ths.<br />
Partnership work<strong>in</strong>g with Land Registry<br />
VOA is work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> partnership with Land Registry and o<strong>the</strong>r organisati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
which seek to improve <strong>the</strong> transparency of property markets. Current<br />
partnership <strong>in</strong>itiatives seek to share data to improve bus<strong>in</strong>ess applicati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
and also for statistical purposes. To modernise and also with ec<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
it is hoped to br<strong>in</strong>g toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> needs of<br />
government <strong>in</strong> respect of property transacti<strong>on</strong>s, <strong>in</strong> order to reduce burdens<br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> citizens and bus<strong>in</strong>ess. VOA hopes to take a supply of price paid data<br />
from Land Registry for <strong>the</strong> first time dur<strong>in</strong>g 2004/2005.<br />
VOA is very keen to forge closer l<strong>in</strong>ks with Land Registry than has<br />
historically been <strong>the</strong> case, and sees Land Registry as a key partner.<br />
Partnership work<strong>in</strong>g with Ordnance Survey<br />
VOA has always used Ordnance Survey maps <strong>in</strong> its core bus<strong>in</strong>esses of<br />
prepar<strong>in</strong>g valuati<strong>on</strong>s and provid<strong>in</strong>g valuati<strong>on</strong> services to <strong>the</strong> public sector.<br />
VOA is currently work<strong>in</strong>g closely with Ordnance Survey develop<strong>in</strong>g its<br />
Geographic Informati<strong>on</strong> System (GIS) strategy, and bus<strong>in</strong>ess case for<br />
implementati<strong>on</strong>. VOA sees GIS as an important tool to enable <strong>in</strong>novati<strong>on</strong><br />
and modernisati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
VOA is keen to fur<strong>the</strong>r develop its l<strong>in</strong>ks with Ordnance Survey.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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Partnership work<strong>in</strong>g with Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Lands<br />
Agency and Scottish Assessors<br />
VOA ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s close l<strong>in</strong>ks with <strong>the</strong> agencies which undertake similar local<br />
taxati<strong>on</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland and Scotland.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
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b) Lands Valuati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Scotland<br />
The Scottish Assessors Associati<strong>on</strong><br />
Historical Background<br />
Although <strong>the</strong>re is still debate <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> exact tim<strong>in</strong>g, lands valuati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
Scotland can be traced back to <strong>the</strong> 12th Century when separate<br />
arrangements were made for taxati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Spiritual and Temporal Lands.<br />
In 1326 <strong>the</strong>re was a partial revaluati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Temporal Lands so as to<br />
provide aid to Robert I and <strong>in</strong> 1357 a general revaluati<strong>on</strong> to raise taxati<strong>on</strong> to<br />
meet a ransom for K<strong>in</strong>g David II. In 1275 Pope Gregory X caused a<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong> of all Church property (Bagim<strong>on</strong>t’s Roll) to provide revenue for<br />
<strong>the</strong> relief of <strong>the</strong> Holy Land. At this time <strong>the</strong>re rema<strong>in</strong>ed assessment of<br />
pers<strong>on</strong>al property, particularly <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> burghs.<br />
In 1643, <strong>in</strong> order to support <strong>the</strong> Scottish army, commissi<strong>on</strong>ers were<br />
appo<strong>in</strong>ted to make up a roll of <strong>the</strong> net rental values <strong>in</strong> every sheriffdom.<br />
Similar arrangements applied under Oliver Cromwell’s Parliament <strong>in</strong> 1656.<br />
In 1670 Parliament enacted that <strong>the</strong> “valued rent” be <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>ly basis for land<br />
taxati<strong>on</strong>. However due to <strong>the</strong> passage of time and <strong>the</strong> lack of a cohesive<br />
system of land valuati<strong>on</strong> many difficulties arose <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> local assessment,<br />
levy and collecti<strong>on</strong> of taxes. This was addressed by <strong>the</strong> Poor Law<br />
Amendment (Scotland) Act 1845 which prescribed that to provide for relief<br />
of <strong>the</strong> poor, a rate be levied accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> annual value of <strong>the</strong> lands and<br />
heritages with<strong>in</strong> each parish.<br />
Difficulties c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued however <strong>in</strong> deal<strong>in</strong>g with new developments, such as<br />
<strong>the</strong> railways which crossed through many parishes and <strong>the</strong> need for several<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong> rolls to cope with <strong>the</strong> many different rates collected for municipal<br />
and local purposes. F<strong>in</strong>ally, <strong>in</strong> 1854 <strong>the</strong>re was enacted <strong>the</strong> legislati<strong>on</strong> which<br />
is regarded as <strong>the</strong> foundati<strong>on</strong> of today’s system of lands valuati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
Scotland.<br />
The Modern System<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> enactment of <strong>the</strong> Lands Valuati<strong>on</strong> (Scotland) Act 1854, Assessors<br />
have been resp<strong>on</strong>sible for <strong>the</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong> of all heritable properties for local<br />
taxati<strong>on</strong> purposes with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir respective valuati<strong>on</strong> areas. Revaluati<strong>on</strong><br />
however rema<strong>in</strong>ed piecemeal until <strong>the</strong> enactment of <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
Rat<strong>in</strong>g (Scotland) Act 1956, which established <strong>the</strong> qu<strong>in</strong>quennial system that<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ues today but with <strong>the</strong> roll be<strong>in</strong>g made up <strong>on</strong> an annual basis. New<br />
properties were entered <strong>in</strong> a Supplementary Roll but altered properties could<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly be dealt with <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> next year. The Local Government (Scotland) Act<br />
1975 provided for a revaluati<strong>on</strong> roll to rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> force until it was<br />
superseded by a new roll, with changes be<strong>in</strong>g made <strong>on</strong> a daily basis and <strong>the</strong><br />
“effective date” shown <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roll.<br />
Until <strong>the</strong> Aboliti<strong>on</strong> of Domestic Rates Etc (Scotland) Act 1987 both<br />
domestic and n<strong>on</strong>-domestic properties were subject to rat<strong>in</strong>g valuati<strong>on</strong> but<br />
from 1 April 1989 all domestic property was deleted from <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
Roll and taxati<strong>on</strong> raised <strong>in</strong>stead by pers<strong>on</strong>al, standard and collective<br />
Community Charges (<strong>the</strong> “Poll Tax”). These were short lived however and<br />
eventually aband<strong>on</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> 1993 follow<strong>in</strong>g major civil unrest and
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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dem<strong>on</strong>strati<strong>on</strong>s, particularly <strong>in</strong> England, where <strong>the</strong>y had been <strong>in</strong>troduced a<br />
year later than <strong>in</strong> Scotland. “Poll Tax” was replaced by <strong>the</strong> Council Tax.<br />
Currently all n<strong>on</strong>-domestic properties are shown <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Roll and<br />
domestic subjects are c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council Tax Valuati<strong>on</strong> List.<br />
These documents form <strong>the</strong> basis for levy<strong>in</strong>g N<strong>on</strong>-Domestic Rates and<br />
Council Tax by Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities.<br />
Each of <strong>the</strong> 32 local Councils with<strong>in</strong> Scotland is a valuati<strong>on</strong> authority and<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>sible for appo<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g an Assessor who, <strong>in</strong> terms of statute, must<br />
compile and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> a Valuati<strong>on</strong> Roll and a Council Tax Valuati<strong>on</strong> List.<br />
There are however <strong>on</strong>ly fourteen Assessors <strong>in</strong> Scotland, four are appo<strong>in</strong>ted<br />
directly by s<strong>in</strong>gle Councils and <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g ten are appo<strong>in</strong>ted by<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Jo<strong>in</strong>t Boards compris<strong>in</strong>g elected members appo<strong>in</strong>ted by two or<br />
more Councils. Where a Valuati<strong>on</strong> Jo<strong>in</strong>t Board exists, all <strong>the</strong> duties, powers<br />
and resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities of <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>stituent Councils as Valuati<strong>on</strong> Authorities are<br />
delegated to <strong>the</strong> Board.<br />
The Assessor<br />
The functi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Assessor are different from those of most o<strong>the</strong>r Local<br />
Government Officers whose duties are to carry out <strong>the</strong> policies of<br />
Authorities, as determ<strong>in</strong>ed by elected councillors. The Assessor requires to<br />
balance <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terests of <strong>in</strong>dividual ratepayers and taxpayers aga<strong>in</strong>st those of<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs, <strong>in</strong> terms of valuati<strong>on</strong> levels and <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependence of <strong>the</strong> Assessor is<br />
necessary to ensure that decisi<strong>on</strong>s are made <strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s of value<br />
without political pressure.<br />
The Assessor is an <strong>in</strong>dependent statutory official and <strong>the</strong> duties imposed by<br />
<strong>the</strong> relevant legislati<strong>on</strong> are imposed <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Assessor and not <strong>the</strong> employ<strong>in</strong>g<br />
authority. In carry<strong>in</strong>g out <strong>the</strong> statutory duties <strong>the</strong> Assessor does not act as an<br />
officer of <strong>the</strong> employ<strong>in</strong>g authority. The acti<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Assessor are subject to<br />
scrut<strong>in</strong>y through an appeals process, <strong>in</strong>itially at local level before a<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Appeal Committee whose members are appo<strong>in</strong>ted by <strong>the</strong> Sheriff<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal. Appeals at first <strong>in</strong>stance may also be heard by <strong>the</strong> Lands Tribunal<br />
for Scotland if <strong>the</strong> issues <strong>in</strong>volve facts or evidence likely to be “complex”.<br />
A right of appeal <strong>on</strong> a po<strong>in</strong>t of law is available form <strong>the</strong> local committee or<br />
Lands Tribunal to <strong>the</strong> Lands Valuati<strong>on</strong> Appeal Court (part of <strong>the</strong> Court of<br />
Sessi<strong>on</strong>) which is <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al arbiter <strong>in</strong> such matters.<br />
Unlike his English equivalent (VOA Valuati<strong>on</strong> Officer) <strong>the</strong> Assessor is not<br />
part of a government agency and does not have <strong>the</strong> same type of<br />
relati<strong>on</strong>ship with Ordnance Survey or Registers of Scotland. In essence <strong>the</strong><br />
Assessor is a commercial customer of <strong>the</strong>se organisati<strong>on</strong>s although with <strong>the</strong><br />
development of an all Scotland website for Assessors this is chang<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
The Scottish Assessors Associati<strong>on</strong><br />
The Scottish Assessors Associati<strong>on</strong> (SAA) was <strong>in</strong>stituted <strong>in</strong> 1975 when<br />
Scottish local government was previously reorganised and is <strong>the</strong> successor<br />
body to <strong>the</strong> Associati<strong>on</strong> of Lands Valuati<strong>on</strong> Assessors of Scotland (1957)<br />
and earlier bodies extend<strong>in</strong>g back to The Associati<strong>on</strong> of Lands Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
Assessors (1886). The SAA c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued <strong>in</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g after <strong>the</strong> 1996 reorganisati<strong>on</strong><br />
of Scottish local government.
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Although a n<strong>on</strong> statutory organisati<strong>on</strong>, all Assessors and <strong>the</strong>ir senior staff<br />
are members of <strong>the</strong> Associati<strong>on</strong>. One of <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>cipal functi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong><br />
Associati<strong>on</strong> is to facilitate a c<strong>on</strong>sistency of approach <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
<strong>the</strong> N<strong>on</strong>-Domestic and Council Tax valuati<strong>on</strong> legislati<strong>on</strong>. The policies and<br />
decisi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Associati<strong>on</strong> have a bear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong> how <strong>in</strong>dividual Assessors<br />
carry out <strong>the</strong>ir statutory duties, but each Assessor is an <strong>in</strong>dependent official.<br />
The Associati<strong>on</strong> works through a series of Committees and associated<br />
Work<strong>in</strong>g Parties, which meet <strong>in</strong> advance of quarterly plenary sessi<strong>on</strong>s. The<br />
SAA also liaises with <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office Agency (VOA) <strong>in</strong> England and<br />
Wales, <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Lands Agency (NIVLA) and <strong>the</strong><br />
Republic of Ireland Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office (RIVO) <strong>in</strong> matters of comm<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest.<br />
Revaluati<strong>on</strong><br />
A valuati<strong>on</strong> of n<strong>on</strong> domestic properties is undertaken every five years and is<br />
referred to as Revaluati<strong>on</strong>. The Assessor must provide a Valuati<strong>on</strong> Roll<br />
list<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong>se properties, which is available for public <strong>in</strong>specti<strong>on</strong>. Each<br />
entry <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roll <strong>in</strong>cludes <strong>the</strong> names of <strong>the</strong> proprietor, tenant and occupier as<br />
appropriate and <strong>the</strong> Net Annual Value which has been set by <strong>the</strong> Assessor. 1<br />
April 2000 was <strong>the</strong> date of <strong>the</strong> most recent rat<strong>in</strong>g Revaluati<strong>on</strong> of all n<strong>on</strong><br />
domestic property <strong>in</strong> Scotland, England and Wales.<br />
The Valuati<strong>on</strong> Roll rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> force until <strong>the</strong> next Revaluati<strong>on</strong>. It is<br />
amended by <strong>the</strong> Assessor to reflect all changes to properties. This may mean<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong> of new properties, <strong>the</strong> amendment of entries for exist<strong>in</strong>g<br />
properties <strong>in</strong> terms of both tenure and valuati<strong>on</strong> or <strong>the</strong> removal of entries for<br />
demolished properties. The Assessor is required to notify proprietors and<br />
occupiers of any changes which he makes to <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Roll by issu<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Notice.<br />
There will be a fur<strong>the</strong>r Revaluati<strong>on</strong> effective from 1 April 2005 although <strong>the</strong><br />
actual timetable for implementati<strong>on</strong> will be different north and south of <strong>the</strong><br />
border. For <strong>the</strong> first time Assessors and <strong>the</strong> public will benefit from an all<br />
Scotland website (The Assessors’ Portal – www.saa.gov.uk ) which will<br />
“launch” <strong>in</strong> late October 2004. The site will give access to all of Scotland’s<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong> rolls so that ratepayers can see an <strong>in</strong>dicative value <strong>in</strong> advance of<br />
formal notificati<strong>on</strong> which will take place <strong>in</strong> February/March 2005. As <strong>in</strong><br />
England and Wales values will come <strong>in</strong>to force <strong>on</strong> 1 April 2005.<br />
Net Annual Value is determ<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong> Assessor and is his estimate of <strong>the</strong><br />
annual rent, which <strong>the</strong> property would command <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> open market at <strong>the</strong><br />
“t<strong>on</strong>e date”.The t<strong>on</strong>e or “as at” date is determ<strong>in</strong>ed by statute as 1 April, two<br />
years before <strong>the</strong> Roll comes <strong>in</strong>to force. Rateable Value is determ<strong>in</strong>ed from<br />
<strong>the</strong> Net Value and is currently fixed at <strong>the</strong> same level for <strong>the</strong> majority of<br />
properties. The purpose of Revaluati<strong>on</strong> is to update Rateable Values to more<br />
up-to-date rental levels. This creates a closer, fairer l<strong>in</strong>k between modern<br />
property values and <strong>the</strong> amount of rates paid by <strong>in</strong>dividual ratepayers.<br />
There are two pr<strong>in</strong>cipal factors which c<strong>on</strong>tribute to <strong>the</strong> rates bill received by<br />
every n<strong>on</strong> domestic ratepayer; <strong>the</strong> Rateable Value of <strong>the</strong> property and <strong>the</strong><br />
n<strong>on</strong>-domestic rate (or rate poundage) fixed by <strong>the</strong> Scottish Parliament. In<br />
additi<strong>on</strong> actual liability will vary depend<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r factors such as<br />
transiti<strong>on</strong>al arrangements, charitable and vacant property reliefs etc.
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In a Revaluati<strong>on</strong> year every ratepayer has a right to lodge an appeal but<br />
must do so by a fixed deadl<strong>in</strong>e. (For <strong>the</strong> 2000 Revaluati<strong>on</strong> this was 30<br />
September 2000.) New owners, tenants or occupiers may appeal with<strong>in</strong> 6<br />
m<strong>on</strong>ths of acquir<strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> a property and where <strong>the</strong> Assessor alters<br />
<strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Roll (by mak<strong>in</strong>g a new entry or chang<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> rateable value)<br />
<strong>the</strong> appeal must be lodged with<strong>in</strong> 6 m<strong>on</strong>ths of <strong>the</strong> date of <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
Notice. Appeals may be lodged at any time <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> grounds of error or <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
event of a material change of circumstances.<br />
Methods of Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
In calculat<strong>in</strong>g Net Annual Value <strong>the</strong> Assessor will employ <strong>on</strong>e of three<br />
methods, or pr<strong>in</strong>ciples, of valuati<strong>on</strong> depend<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> type of property be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
valued.<br />
• The <str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pr<strong>in</strong>ciple<br />
This is <strong>the</strong> most comm<strong>on</strong> method employed and relies <strong>on</strong> analysis of<br />
actual rents pass<strong>in</strong>g, from which a general level of valuati<strong>on</strong> for each<br />
locati<strong>on</strong> and property type (shops, offices, warehouses etc) can be<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
• The Revenue Pr<strong>in</strong>ciple (or Receipts and Expenditure Method)<br />
This method was orig<strong>in</strong>ally used to value “public undertak<strong>in</strong>gs” (gas,<br />
electricity, railways etc) but fell out of regular use <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1980’s with <strong>the</strong><br />
demise of <strong>the</strong> Assessor of Public Undertak<strong>in</strong>gs. Subsequent changes saw<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of prescribed values for this class of subject. The<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>ciple has always been used for a limited range of properties, such as<br />
harbours and ski lifts, where <strong>the</strong> “m<strong>on</strong>opoly of <strong>the</strong> place” makes <strong>the</strong> use<br />
of <strong>the</strong> profits of <strong>the</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess c<strong>on</strong>ducted relevant <strong>in</strong> estimat<strong>in</strong>g annual<br />
value. With proposals to end statutory prescripti<strong>on</strong> for utilities (which<br />
are now operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a commercial market-place) <strong>the</strong> R&E method will<br />
receive a new lease of life.<br />
• The C<strong>on</strong>tractor’s Pr<strong>in</strong>ciple<br />
Often dubbed, “<strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>ciple of last resort” <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tractor’s basis relies<br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> cost of c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> and an assumed rate of return to produce<br />
annual value. S<strong>in</strong>ce 1990 <strong>the</strong> rate of return or decapitalisati<strong>on</strong> rate has<br />
been prescribed so as to avoid <strong>the</strong> often lengthy and costly litigati<strong>on</strong><br />
which followed each revaluati<strong>on</strong> as ratepayers from different classes of<br />
property sought to argue special reas<strong>on</strong>s why an alternative rate should<br />
apply <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir case. C<strong>on</strong>siderable work was d<strong>on</strong>e by <strong>the</strong> Jo<strong>in</strong>t<br />
Professi<strong>on</strong>al Instituti<strong>on</strong>s’ Valuati<strong>on</strong> Rat<strong>in</strong>g Forum <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> run-up to <strong>the</strong><br />
1995 Revaluati<strong>on</strong> to set down a modern explanati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tractor’s<br />
basis. Both <strong>the</strong> SAA and VOA c<strong>on</strong>tributed heavily to <strong>the</strong> producti<strong>on</strong> of<br />
“The C<strong>on</strong>tractor’s Basis of Valuati<strong>on</strong> for Rat<strong>in</strong>g Purposes - A Guidance<br />
Note”.<br />
Council Tax<br />
The Assessor is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for <strong>the</strong> preparati<strong>on</strong> and ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of <strong>the</strong><br />
Council Tax Valuati<strong>on</strong> List, which places each domestic property<br />
(“dwell<strong>in</strong>g”) <strong>in</strong> <strong>on</strong>e of eight valuati<strong>on</strong> bands. The band reflects <strong>the</strong><br />
Assessor’s op<strong>in</strong>i<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> property’s open market value as at 1 April 1991,<br />
but tak<strong>in</strong>g account of its physical state and its locality as at 1 April 1993 (or,<br />
for new dwell<strong>in</strong>gs, <strong>the</strong> date of valuati<strong>on</strong>) and subject to a number of
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important statutory assumpti<strong>on</strong>s relat<strong>in</strong>g to tenure, state of repair and<br />
plann<strong>in</strong>g. Owners and occupiers may make a proposal (appeal) if <strong>the</strong>y<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sider <strong>the</strong> Council Tax Band to be wr<strong>on</strong>g, but subject to strict time-limits.<br />
The Council Tax Valuati<strong>on</strong> List is a public document and c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s <strong>the</strong><br />
addresses and Council Tax bands of all domestic properties <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
area. In general terms any k<strong>in</strong>d of house or flat will count as a dwell<strong>in</strong>g if it<br />
used as such, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g sec<strong>on</strong>d homes that are not let out commercially.<br />
Caravans count as dwell<strong>in</strong>gs if <strong>the</strong>y are some<strong>on</strong>e’s ma<strong>in</strong> home. Certa<strong>in</strong><br />
properties <strong>in</strong> multiple occupati<strong>on</strong> where facilities are shared may also count<br />
as <strong>on</strong>e dwell<strong>in</strong>g. Access to all Council Tax Valuati<strong>on</strong> Lists will be available<br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Assessors’ Portal when it “launches” <strong>in</strong> October 2004.<br />
Currently <strong>the</strong>re are no plans for a Council Tax Revaluati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Scotland<br />
although dates have been set for revaluati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> both England and Wales with<br />
provisi<strong>on</strong> for future revaluati<strong>on</strong>s at ten-yearly <strong>in</strong>tervals. The Scottish<br />
Parliament is however committed to a review of local government f<strong>in</strong>ance<br />
which will <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>the</strong> Council Tax.
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c) Land And Property Valuati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland:<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> And Lands Agency (VLA)<br />
Status and Functi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
The Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Lands Agency is an Executive Agency of <strong>the</strong> Department<br />
of F<strong>in</strong>ance and Pers<strong>on</strong>nel <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. Orig<strong>in</strong>ally known as <strong>the</strong><br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office, it has for nearly 150 years been resp<strong>on</strong>sible for rat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
assessments and s<strong>in</strong>ce 1945 for a grow<strong>in</strong>g range of general valuati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
estate management duties with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> public sector.<br />
The Agency has 3 ma<strong>in</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s:<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> List for rat<strong>in</strong>g purposes <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland and periodically, <strong>the</strong> preparati<strong>on</strong> of a new Valuati<strong>on</strong> List. The<br />
current List c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s over 739,000 entries with a total net annual value of<br />
£1,064M. This is <strong>the</strong> Agency’s core bus<strong>in</strong>ess and <strong>in</strong>volves <strong>the</strong> completi<strong>on</strong> of<br />
over 45,000 separate valuati<strong>on</strong> assessments annually.<br />
Provisi<strong>on</strong> of a valuati<strong>on</strong>, estate management and property data service to <strong>the</strong><br />
public sector. The Agency delivers to more than 150 clients a wide range of<br />
professi<strong>on</strong>al valuati<strong>on</strong> and advisory services <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g more than 20,000<br />
cases annually.<br />
Advice <strong>on</strong> all matters relat<strong>in</strong>g to land management and valuati<strong>on</strong> is provided<br />
to <strong>the</strong> Department and M<strong>in</strong>isters, and through <strong>the</strong> Central Advisory Unit to<br />
property centres throughout <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland Public Sector.<br />
The Organisati<strong>on</strong><br />
The Agency’s Chief Executive, who has <strong>the</strong> statutory title of Commissi<strong>on</strong>er<br />
of Valuati<strong>on</strong>, is resp<strong>on</strong>sible to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister for <strong>the</strong> effective operati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />
Agency and <strong>the</strong> fulfilment of its statutory functi<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
The Agency delivers its services currently from a central Headquarters and a<br />
network of 7 district offices across Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. The public has access<br />
to all <strong>the</strong>se offices.<br />
VLA currently has a staff of over 300 of whom more than half are<br />
professi<strong>on</strong>al and technical grades directly <strong>in</strong>volved with prepar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
valuati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
VLA Headquarters is at Queens Court, 56/66 Upper Queen Street, Belfast<br />
BT1 6FD. The VLA website is http://vla.nics.gov.uk.<br />
The Rat<strong>in</strong>g System <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Like <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office Agency <strong>in</strong> England and Wales and <strong>the</strong> Scottish<br />
Assessors Office <strong>in</strong> Scotland <strong>the</strong> core bus<strong>in</strong>ess of <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Lands<br />
Agency is <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> List. The rat<strong>in</strong>g system <strong>in</strong><br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland is different <strong>in</strong> several important respects from <strong>the</strong> rest of<br />
<strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom.<br />
At present all <strong>the</strong> properties <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> valuati<strong>on</strong> list are valued <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> basis of<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir rental value. However, no revaluati<strong>on</strong> of domestic property has taken
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place s<strong>in</strong>ce 1976 and a new system based <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> capital values of domestic<br />
property is now due to be <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland <strong>in</strong> 2007. In<br />
c<strong>on</strong>trast to <strong>the</strong> Council Tax <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> UK it is proposed that this new<br />
system will be based <strong>on</strong> discrete assessments of <strong>the</strong> capital value of all of<br />
<strong>the</strong> approximately 700,000 domestic properties <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> case of n<strong>on</strong>-domestic properties revaluati<strong>on</strong>s based <strong>on</strong> current rental<br />
value <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> have taken place <strong>in</strong> 1997 and 2003. It is envisaged that<br />
this regular pattern of revaluati<strong>on</strong>s will c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ue <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> same basis of<br />
assessment.<br />
Like its counterparts <strong>in</strong> England and Scotland VLA is committed to play a<br />
key role <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> modernisati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> property taxati<strong>on</strong> system <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland. The <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of a new system of domestic property assessment<br />
is a very challeng<strong>in</strong>g task <strong>in</strong> which VLA c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ues to play a key<br />
development role <strong>in</strong> additi<strong>on</strong> to its ultimate resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for deliver<strong>in</strong>g fair<br />
and accurate valuati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Estate Management Advice Service to <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland Public Sector<br />
Due to <strong>the</strong> structure of local government <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland VLA has<br />
historically played a much wider role <strong>in</strong> this regard than its equivalent<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> UK. This role comprises <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong> of a<br />
full range of professi<strong>on</strong>al advice <strong>on</strong> all property matters to a large number<br />
of public bodies. This advice is not just limited to <strong>the</strong> areas of compensati<strong>on</strong><br />
and nati<strong>on</strong>al taxati<strong>on</strong> but also <strong>in</strong>cludes <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong> of asset valuati<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
negotiati<strong>on</strong> of leases and many o<strong>the</strong>r services.<br />
Relati<strong>on</strong>ship of VLA with Lands Registry of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland and Ordnance<br />
Survey of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Like VOA <strong>in</strong> England and Wales VLA has developed partnership<br />
arrangements with both Lands Registry and Ordnance Survey. The most<br />
important current aspect of <strong>the</strong>se arrangements relates to <strong>the</strong> establishment<br />
of a geographic <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> system which will relate to <strong>the</strong> new domestic<br />
rat<strong>in</strong>g system described above.
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Land Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
This Secti<strong>on</strong> describes <strong>the</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s, structure and relati<strong>on</strong>ships of <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registrati<strong>on</strong> Agencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> three jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
a) England and Wales<br />
b) Scotland<br />
c) Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
a) Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> In England And Wales:<br />
Her Majesty’s Land Registry (HMLR)<br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> The Historical Background – a general overview<br />
The ‘English’ system of land registrati<strong>on</strong> is part of <strong>the</strong> comm<strong>on</strong> law system<br />
of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom and so is dist<strong>in</strong>guishable from many systems of<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ental Europe. Similar systems are to be found <strong>in</strong> many of <strong>the</strong> former<br />
British Col<strong>on</strong>ies. Its objectives are <strong>the</strong> same as <strong>in</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>land Europe and its<br />
modern systems similar <strong>in</strong> many respects as <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g narrative<br />
endeavours to expla<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Before 1862, when <strong>the</strong> first Land Registry Act became law, <strong>the</strong>re were no<br />
systems of land registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> England and Wales apart from deeds<br />
registries <strong>in</strong> two counties - Yorkshire and Middlesex. Characteristics of <strong>the</strong><br />
feudal systems of tenure still prevailed. As late as 1925 as little as 14% of<br />
<strong>the</strong> populati<strong>on</strong> owned property. The great majority of <strong>the</strong> people lived <strong>in</strong><br />
rented or tied houses or apartments. There was little pers<strong>on</strong>al wealth for <strong>the</strong><br />
majority of <strong>the</strong> populati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> great <strong>in</strong>itiatives of <strong>the</strong> social and ec<strong>on</strong>omic reformers of <strong>the</strong> 19th<br />
Century was to promote <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of public registers of land<br />
ownership and to establish effective systems of land and property transfer.<br />
Their aim was to widen <strong>the</strong> number of private owners or stakeholders <strong>in</strong><br />
land and property.<br />
The Land Registry Act of 1862 <strong>in</strong>troduced a voluntary system of land<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong>. This failed because of a too high requirement of accuracy of<br />
boundary demarcati<strong>on</strong> and of title exam<strong>in</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> lead<strong>in</strong>g to expense and even<br />
dispute. Successive Laws <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> late 19th Century sought to remedy <strong>the</strong><br />
defects. In 1875 <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>cept of registrati<strong>on</strong> with ‘general boundaries’ was<br />
established and <strong>in</strong> 1897 <strong>the</strong> law required that <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al Ordnance Survey<br />
Map would become <strong>the</strong> basis of registered mapp<strong>in</strong>g. In 1899 compulsory<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> sale was first <strong>in</strong>troduced.<br />
These developments; compulsory registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> sale, and registered<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g based <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey map with general boundaries, are<br />
<strong>the</strong> cornerst<strong>on</strong>es <strong>on</strong> which <strong>the</strong> land registrati<strong>on</strong> system <strong>in</strong> England and<br />
Wales has been built. The major land law reforms of 1925, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act of that year, provided <strong>the</strong> statutory basis of <strong>the</strong><br />
present day system. The law gave <strong>the</strong> Chief Land Registrar <strong>the</strong> powers to<br />
grant secure and guaranteed marketable titles so build<strong>in</strong>g public c<strong>on</strong>fidence<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> system. A fundamental review of <strong>the</strong> 1925 legislati<strong>on</strong> was
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undertaken <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> late 20th Century lead<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> new Land Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
Act 2002 which facilitates fur<strong>the</strong>r development of land transfer <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
computer age.<br />
The volume of bus<strong>in</strong>ess ‘<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> register’ is very large. In 2002-03 some 4.6<br />
milli<strong>on</strong> transacti<strong>on</strong>s creat<strong>in</strong>g new ownerships and o<strong>the</strong>r rights were<br />
registered and over 11 milli<strong>on</strong> enquiries, requests for copies of registers and<br />
plans, or requests for guaranteed searches were made. All sales of freehold<br />
land and all leases for over 7 years are handled by <strong>the</strong> Land Registry as are<br />
many o<strong>the</strong>r registrable rights and burdens such as mortgages. Purchasers,<br />
lenders and o<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>on</strong>ly secure <strong>the</strong> legal title to <strong>the</strong>ir new <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>on</strong>ce an<br />
applicati<strong>on</strong> for registrati<strong>on</strong> has been received at <strong>the</strong> Land Registry.<br />
The guaranteed land register provides <strong>the</strong> certa<strong>in</strong>ty and security which has<br />
made it possible for people and bus<strong>in</strong>esses to buy and sell land and property<br />
with c<strong>on</strong>fidence us<strong>in</strong>g simple and <strong>in</strong>expensive procedures. The ability to<br />
deal <strong>in</strong> land and to raise m<strong>on</strong>ey <strong>on</strong> property has facilitated <strong>in</strong>vestment for<br />
development and improvement.<br />
Aims and Objectives<br />
The pr<strong>in</strong>cipal aims of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry are:<br />
• to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> and develop a stable and effective land registrati<strong>on</strong> system<br />
throughout England and Wales as <strong>the</strong> cornerst<strong>on</strong>e for <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
free movement of <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> land<br />
• <strong>on</strong> behalf of <strong>the</strong> Crown to guarantee title to registered estates and<br />
<strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> land for <strong>the</strong> whole of England and Wales<br />
• to provide ready access to and guaranteed land <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> so enabl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
c<strong>on</strong>fident deal<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> property and security of title to achieve<br />
progressively improv<strong>in</strong>g performance targets set by <strong>the</strong> Lord Chancellor<br />
(<strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister of Justice) so that high quality services are delivered<br />
promptly and at lower cost to users<br />
Detailed Objectives are agreed each year between <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister and <strong>the</strong><br />
Chief Land Registrar. Performance and F<strong>in</strong>ancial targets are agreed after<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> Treasury (<strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry of F<strong>in</strong>ance).<br />
Reference to ’<strong>the</strong> Crown’ above reflects <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al positi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />
United K<strong>in</strong>gdom. Registrati<strong>on</strong> of title is an exercise by <strong>the</strong> State of its<br />
sovereign authority.<br />
Def<strong>in</strong>iti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Under <strong>the</strong> land registrati<strong>on</strong> system <strong>in</strong> England and Wales Land is def<strong>in</strong>ed as<br />
not just <strong>the</strong> surface of <strong>the</strong> earth but <strong>in</strong>cludes <strong>the</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> land and<br />
<strong>the</strong> structures beneath <strong>the</strong> surface, Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> is def<strong>in</strong>ed as <strong>the</strong><br />
process of ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a register of real rights <strong>in</strong> land. A Land Register is<br />
described <strong>in</strong> some jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s as an Immovable Property Register or as a<br />
Cadastre.
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Scope<br />
When land registrati<strong>on</strong> was established <strong>in</strong> England and Wales <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last<br />
century it was realised that not all land could be brought <strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> register at<br />
<strong>on</strong>ce. Priorities had to be established. As a result it was decided to<br />
progressively designate local authority areas (municipalities) as areas <strong>in</strong><br />
which land become compulsorily registrable ‘<strong>on</strong> sale’. L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong> was <strong>the</strong> first<br />
area (<strong>in</strong> 1899-1901) and now <strong>the</strong> whole of England and Wales is subject to<br />
compulsory registrati<strong>on</strong>. Land can be registered voluntarily at any time.<br />
Once land has been first registered o<strong>the</strong>r transacti<strong>on</strong>s and deal<strong>in</strong>gs, such as<br />
mortgages, discharges, <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of new rights of way, bankruptcies,<br />
covenants, leases etc. affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> land are registrable. On this basis <strong>the</strong><br />
register c<strong>on</strong>stitutes a complete record of subsist<strong>in</strong>g legal <strong>in</strong>terests, rights and<br />
burdens.<br />
All land, whe<strong>the</strong>r owned by private pers<strong>on</strong>s, farmers, bus<strong>in</strong>esses, public and<br />
private <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>s, local or central government, or <strong>the</strong> Crown is subject to<br />
<strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Acts. The legal estate <strong>in</strong> land, or an<br />
<strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> land, is not established until an applicati<strong>on</strong> for registrati<strong>on</strong> is<br />
properly submitted to <strong>the</strong> Land Registry. No priorities for registrati<strong>on</strong> were<br />
established between different categories of land (for example publicly<br />
owned land or agricultural land). Once a municipal area was established as<br />
a compulsory area all sales were registered as <strong>the</strong>y occurred. S<strong>in</strong>ce April<br />
1998 new legislati<strong>on</strong> has extended compulsory registrati<strong>on</strong> from just sales to<br />
all changes of ownership, and to first mortgages relat<strong>in</strong>g to unregistered<br />
land.<br />
Guarantees and Indemnity<br />
Under <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act titles are guaranteed by<br />
<strong>the</strong> State. In practice this means that if any<strong>on</strong>e suffers actual loss as a result<br />
of an error or omissi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> register <strong>the</strong>y are entitled to rectificati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />
title and/or <strong>in</strong>demnity. The Chief Land Registrar acts as a title <strong>in</strong>surer. A<br />
feature of <strong>the</strong> protecti<strong>on</strong> is that rectificati<strong>on</strong> and/or <strong>in</strong>demnity can be<br />
effected even if <strong>the</strong> error or omissi<strong>on</strong> has not arisen as a result of a mistake<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Land Registry. This means that if <strong>the</strong> Land Registry unwitt<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
gives effect to a registrati<strong>on</strong> of an <strong>in</strong>terest, and it <strong>the</strong>n transpires that <strong>the</strong><br />
transacti<strong>on</strong> or <strong>the</strong> documents were <strong>the</strong> subject of fraud, any<strong>on</strong>e who has<br />
suffered loss as a result of registrati<strong>on</strong> can be <strong>in</strong>demnified. Indemnity<br />
payments take account of <strong>the</strong> extent to which a pers<strong>on</strong> has c<strong>on</strong>tributed to<br />
any such loss by <strong>the</strong>ir carelessness. The Land Registry is able to seek<br />
recovery of any <strong>in</strong>demnity that is actually paid and any costs from <strong>the</strong><br />
pers<strong>on</strong>s guilty of <strong>the</strong> fraud. The Land Registry guarantee extends not <strong>on</strong>ly to<br />
<strong>the</strong> land register but also to any search certificates or official copies of<br />
registers and plans issued <strong>in</strong> resp<strong>on</strong>se to a properly lodged applicati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
In 2002-03 <strong>in</strong>demnity payments totall<strong>in</strong>g £2.65 milli<strong>on</strong> were paid <strong>on</strong> 799<br />
successful claims. This total has to be set aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> total value of land<br />
registered (approximately £3000 billi<strong>on</strong>), and <strong>the</strong> number of registered titles<br />
(over 19 milli<strong>on</strong>). Indemnity paid each year amounts to less than 0.64% of<br />
total annual <strong>in</strong>come. The strength of <strong>the</strong> system is that <strong>the</strong> State guarantee,<br />
backed by <strong>in</strong>demnity, provides <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>fidence <strong>on</strong> which <strong>the</strong> property market<br />
depends.
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The Land Registry ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s an Indemnity Fund from which any payments<br />
must be made. This Fund currently stands at £6.2 milli<strong>on</strong>. It is f<strong>in</strong>anced<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Registry’s <strong>in</strong>come from fees paid for services and transacti<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
would be replenished or <strong>in</strong>creased from <strong>in</strong>come or reserves as required.<br />
Size of <strong>the</strong> system<br />
The populati<strong>on</strong> of England and Wales is 54 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
It is estimated that <strong>the</strong>re are 23 milli<strong>on</strong> separate parcels of land of which<br />
nearly 20 milli<strong>on</strong> are registered. The majority of unregistered properties are<br />
government or municipal properties which have not been subject of any sale<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce compulsory registrati<strong>on</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s became law.<br />
Services to <strong>the</strong> public<br />
The work of <strong>the</strong> Registry can be divided <strong>in</strong>to two broad areas:<br />
• transacti<strong>on</strong>s which create, change or cancel entries <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> register<br />
The land register, which is wholly open to public <strong>in</strong>specti<strong>on</strong>, is c<strong>on</strong>stantly<br />
updated by <strong>the</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> of sales of property, associated mortgages and<br />
discharges of mortgages. O<strong>the</strong>r registrati<strong>on</strong>s relate to <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of new<br />
rights or a mortgage or discharge not associated with a purchase.<br />
• searches and <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> enquiries<br />
The majority of searches and enquiries are made by those c<strong>on</strong>templat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
buy<strong>in</strong>g or o<strong>the</strong>rwise deal<strong>in</strong>g with land or lend<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>on</strong>ey <strong>on</strong> land. These are<br />
<strong>the</strong> essential enquiries made by an <strong>in</strong>tend<strong>in</strong>g buyer or lender to ensure that<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are no impediments, risks, or unknown burdens affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> land.<br />
Under <strong>the</strong> English system <strong>the</strong> issue of an official certificate of search also<br />
gives <strong>the</strong> applicant ‘priority’ for 30 work<strong>in</strong>g days ahead of any o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
transacti<strong>on</strong> that may arise. This system of protecti<strong>on</strong> is greatly valued by<br />
purchasers and lenders<br />
A significant number of enquiries will also be made by those who wish to<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d out ownership and o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> about <strong>the</strong> legal <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> a<br />
property. These enquiries could be from tenants, neighbours, family<br />
members, creditors, law enforcement agencies, local municipalities and<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r official bodies.<br />
Organisati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry<br />
The Land Registry has a Head Office <strong>in</strong> L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong> and 24 regi<strong>on</strong>al offices<br />
throughout England and Wales. Each of <strong>the</strong>se regi<strong>on</strong>al offices serves a<br />
def<strong>in</strong>ed geographical area compris<strong>in</strong>g a number of municipalities. Its<br />
Computer Centre is <strong>in</strong> Plymouth.<br />
In each Regi<strong>on</strong>al Office <strong>the</strong> Land Registrar is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> land register for <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>. Under <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registrati<strong>on</strong>s Act <strong>the</strong> Land Registrar must be a lawyer. He or she has<br />
extensive quasi judicial powers under <strong>the</strong> law to grant title and to resolve<br />
disputes.<br />
Each Regi<strong>on</strong>al Registry is managed by an Area Manager who is resp<strong>on</strong>sible<br />
for f<strong>in</strong>ance, pers<strong>on</strong>nel, producti<strong>on</strong>, and meet<strong>in</strong>g operati<strong>on</strong>al and f<strong>in</strong>ancial
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targets. On average each office serves areas with a populati<strong>on</strong> of 2 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
and employs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong> of 320 staff.<br />
Policy – privatisati<strong>on</strong> - and improv<strong>in</strong>g management <strong>in</strong> government<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> C<strong>on</strong>servative adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> from 1979 - 1987, <strong>the</strong>re were<br />
extensive reforms of public sector management, not least with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Civil<br />
Service. The aim was to improve services to <strong>the</strong> public and <strong>in</strong>crease value<br />
for m<strong>on</strong>ey. The <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of modern management techniques<br />
underp<strong>in</strong>ned <strong>the</strong> policy. Each government department was subject to an<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent and rigorous scrut<strong>in</strong>y to establish:<br />
• If all or any of its tasks need be d<strong>on</strong>e at all (aboliti<strong>on</strong>)<br />
• If those tasks that needed to be d<strong>on</strong>e could be carried out entirely by <strong>the</strong><br />
private sector (privatisati<strong>on</strong>)<br />
• If particular tasks that could not be wholly privatised could be carried<br />
out under c<strong>on</strong>tract by <strong>the</strong> private sector (c<strong>on</strong>tracted out), if not<br />
• What <strong>in</strong>ternal reforms could be <strong>in</strong>troduced to ensure improvements <strong>in</strong><br />
efficiency<br />
The Land Registry was subject to <strong>the</strong>se scrut<strong>in</strong>ise. The government decided<br />
that <strong>the</strong> first two of <strong>the</strong>se opti<strong>on</strong>s, aboliti<strong>on</strong> or wholesale privatisati<strong>on</strong>, were<br />
not appropriate for <strong>the</strong> Land Registry. This decisi<strong>on</strong> recognised <strong>the</strong> unique<br />
role of land registrati<strong>on</strong> as an impartial judicial process which had to<br />
operate free from any c<strong>on</strong>flicts of <strong>in</strong>terests deal<strong>in</strong>g equally with <strong>the</strong> land and<br />
property <strong>in</strong>terests of citizens, commercial enterprises, f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
and government. The public c<strong>on</strong>fidence <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> land registrati<strong>on</strong> system<br />
rested substantially <strong>in</strong> its actual and perceived role as an arm of <strong>the</strong> judicial<br />
system but <strong>in</strong>dependent of government <strong>in</strong>fluence.<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> most significant reforms <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK Civil Service was <strong>the</strong><br />
establishment of ‘Executive Agencies’. All units of <strong>the</strong> Civil Service <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess of deliver<strong>in</strong>g services to <strong>the</strong> public, as dist<strong>in</strong>ct from pure policy<br />
and advisory activities, were established as Executive Agencies. Each<br />
Agency was given clear objectives and specific targets set by <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister <strong>in</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>juncti<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> Treasury. Greater freedom was <strong>in</strong>troduced for Agencies<br />
to establish <strong>the</strong>ir own pay and grad<strong>in</strong>g regimes.<br />
All Executive Agencies were headed by a Chief Executive accountable<br />
directly to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister but operat<strong>in</strong>g at ‘arms length’. Chief Executives<br />
were appo<strong>in</strong>ted by open competiti<strong>on</strong>. A greater emphasis was placed <strong>on</strong><br />
management and <strong>on</strong> identify<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> needs of customers. Those Executive<br />
Agencies which raised <strong>in</strong>come became candidates for Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund status<br />
under <strong>the</strong> Trad<strong>in</strong>g Funds Act. This <strong>in</strong>troduced full commercial account<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
allowed agencies to <strong>in</strong>vest m<strong>on</strong>ey and reta<strong>in</strong> funds over <strong>the</strong> year-end.<br />
Challeng<strong>in</strong>g f<strong>in</strong>ancial targets were set requir<strong>in</strong>g progressive measurable<br />
improvements <strong>in</strong> unit costs and service delivery. Greater flexibilities were<br />
allowed to Executive Agencies than had previously been <strong>the</strong> case when<br />
<strong>the</strong>se units formed parts of large government departments.<br />
Importantly Agencies were given <strong>the</strong> scope to c<strong>on</strong>tract out those activities<br />
where market test<strong>in</strong>g dem<strong>on</strong>strated that value for m<strong>on</strong>ey could be achieved<br />
without any dim<strong>in</strong>uti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> quality of service and without issues of<br />
c<strong>on</strong>fidentiality or c<strong>on</strong>flict of <strong>in</strong>terest aris<strong>in</strong>g. Public/private partnerships<br />
were encouraged where <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>s of both sectors could add value to<br />
a service. In <strong>the</strong> fields of computerisati<strong>on</strong> and <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e access to registry data
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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such partnerships have been very effective.<br />
The Land Registry, as a self-f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g organisati<strong>on</strong> deliver<strong>in</strong>g services to<br />
<strong>the</strong> public, became both an Executive Agency (<strong>in</strong> 1990) and a Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund<br />
(<strong>in</strong> 1993). The statutory post of Chief Land Registrar was designated as its<br />
Chief Executive. Each Agency operated to a ‘Framework Document’ which<br />
set out <strong>the</strong> requirements of <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister, <strong>the</strong> Agency’s targets, l<strong>in</strong>es of<br />
accountability, report<strong>in</strong>g requirements and delegati<strong>on</strong>s agreed. The<br />
additi<strong>on</strong>al flexibilities and <strong>the</strong> delegati<strong>on</strong>s expressed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Document<br />
provided a positive platform for effective management and transformed <strong>the</strong><br />
Land Registry <strong>in</strong>to a bus<strong>in</strong>ess-like organisati<strong>on</strong> without dim<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g its<br />
statutory role, its impartiality and <strong>the</strong> quality of its service.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Labour party’s success at <strong>the</strong> 1997 and 2001 general electi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
<strong>the</strong>se public sector policies have been substantially reta<strong>in</strong>ed and developed<br />
by <strong>the</strong> present government.<br />
Targets and Performance Measures<br />
These are def<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> measurable terms relat<strong>in</strong>g to costs, outputs, f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
performance, speed of service, quality of service and specific developmental<br />
targets. Performance measurement systems exist and are <strong>in</strong>dependently<br />
evaluated to record actual results aga<strong>in</strong>st targets set. The range of targets<br />
and <strong>the</strong> performance measurement system operates at every level of<br />
management from <strong>the</strong> Agency at nati<strong>on</strong>al level, at Regi<strong>on</strong>al Offices and <strong>in</strong><br />
operati<strong>on</strong>al Secti<strong>on</strong>s with<strong>in</strong> Regi<strong>on</strong>al Offices. The Pay of <strong>the</strong> Chief<br />
Executive and annual b<strong>on</strong>uses that can be earned by staff are <strong>in</strong>fluenced by<br />
<strong>the</strong> results achieved aga<strong>in</strong>st target.<br />
Computerisati<strong>on</strong><br />
Until 1974 <strong>the</strong> Land Registry’s records and procedures were wholly paper<br />
based. In that year <strong>the</strong> Registry <strong>in</strong>troduced a system, <strong>the</strong>n revoluti<strong>on</strong>ary, of<br />
teleph<strong>on</strong>e search<strong>in</strong>g for those seek<strong>in</strong>g to establish whe<strong>the</strong>r or not third party<br />
<strong>in</strong>terests subsisted <strong>on</strong> unregistered land (a name <strong>in</strong>dex was ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed of<br />
Land Charges).<br />
In 1986 <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> land register project was launched whereby <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
land registers were computerised. All transacti<strong>on</strong> and enquiry process<strong>in</strong>g<br />
was d<strong>on</strong>e by staff us<strong>in</strong>g term<strong>in</strong>als. All 19 milli<strong>on</strong> + computerised registers<br />
can now be accessed <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e by any user who has a credit account. Users<br />
are billed m<strong>on</strong>thly for <strong>the</strong> enquiries <strong>the</strong>y make. The direct <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e access<br />
and teleph<strong>on</strong>e search<strong>in</strong>g systems have transformed access to land<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>. Substantial sav<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> manpower and costs have also resulted<br />
from <strong>the</strong> streaml<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong>ternal process<strong>in</strong>g of transacti<strong>on</strong>s. Registers can also<br />
be viewed and copied by <strong>the</strong> public through <strong>the</strong> Land Registry’s Web based<br />
service Land Register Onl<strong>in</strong>e. Professi<strong>on</strong>al users can access <strong>the</strong> register<br />
through a tailored system ‘Registers Direct’<br />
The Land Registry Mapp<strong>in</strong>g Project is progressively computeris<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>dividual title plans for each property and all <strong>the</strong> Index Maps for England<br />
and Wales. The Registry has led <strong>the</strong> current development <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK of a<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Land Informati<strong>on</strong> Service. This is br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g toge<strong>the</strong>r, by <strong>the</strong> use of<br />
a unique property reference number, <strong>the</strong> computerised land <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong><br />
records of various government agencies so enabl<strong>in</strong>g ‘<strong>on</strong>e-stop’ access by<br />
users.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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The Land Registry, work<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey, <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong><br />
Office, Local Authorities and o<strong>the</strong>rs led <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Land Informati<strong>on</strong> Service (NLIS) and is a participat<strong>in</strong>g member of <strong>the</strong><br />
European Uni<strong>on</strong> Land Informati<strong>on</strong> Service (EULIS) Project. The Land<br />
Registry is now lead<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> project <strong>on</strong> ‘electr<strong>on</strong>ic c<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g’ (electr<strong>on</strong>ic<br />
land transfer). Initially those submitt<strong>in</strong>g applicati<strong>on</strong>s and documents for<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> will be able to do so <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e. The aim is to move toward a<br />
‘paperless’ system. With <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e access already functi<strong>on</strong><strong>in</strong>g for <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong><br />
enquiries <strong>the</strong> basis and potential to extend this to <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e registrati<strong>on</strong> has<br />
already begun. With <strong>the</strong> support of all <strong>the</strong> major players <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> land and<br />
mortgage markets developments c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ue toward launch<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
c<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g where transacti<strong>on</strong>s can be effected by coord<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
systems between lawyers, lenders, <strong>the</strong> Land Registry and local authorities<br />
(municipalities)<br />
F<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g Land Registry Services<br />
Central to <strong>the</strong> fee policy is <strong>the</strong> requirement <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act that<br />
fees should be set at a level sufficient to cover <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial expenditures<br />
and outgo<strong>in</strong>gs of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry... and no more. Under <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registrati<strong>on</strong> Acts it is <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister who has <strong>the</strong> power to set fees, but he<br />
does this <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> advice of a Statutory Rule Committee under <strong>the</strong><br />
Chairmanship of a High Court Judge. The Chief Land Registrar, a<br />
representative of <strong>the</strong> Bar, of <strong>the</strong> Law Society and of <strong>the</strong> Royal Instituti<strong>on</strong> of<br />
Chartered Surveyors are members of <strong>the</strong> Rule Committee. Its<br />
recommendati<strong>on</strong>s require <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>currence of <strong>the</strong> Treasury (M<strong>in</strong>istry of<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ance). The objective is to c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> fees at as low a level as is possible<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sistent with deliver<strong>in</strong>g an improv<strong>in</strong>g service. In practice it is <strong>the</strong> Chief<br />
Land Registrar who takes <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiative <strong>on</strong> fees changes reflect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> targets<br />
set for <strong>the</strong> Agency and <strong>the</strong> prevail<strong>in</strong>g market positi<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Fee Income<br />
In 2002-03 <strong>the</strong> total Land Registry Fee Income was over £400 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
(approximately 580 milli<strong>on</strong> Euros)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> – and reference<br />
There are three Jo<strong>in</strong>t C<strong>on</strong>sultative and Advisory Committees. These are with<br />
<strong>the</strong> professi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>s represent<strong>in</strong>g ma<strong>in</strong> users; <strong>the</strong> Law Society<br />
(Lawyers), <strong>the</strong> Council of Mortgage Lenders (Banks and o<strong>the</strong>r lenders), <strong>the</strong><br />
Royal Instituti<strong>on</strong> of Chartered Surveyors (Surveyors).<br />
The C<strong>on</strong>sultative process and <strong>the</strong> customer surveys are to ensure that <strong>the</strong><br />
Registry is aware of areas requir<strong>in</strong>g improvement or where new services are<br />
needed.<br />
An Independent Compla<strong>in</strong>ts Advisor <strong>in</strong>vestigates compla<strong>in</strong>ts aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong><br />
Registry where an <strong>in</strong>dividual is not satisfied with <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong> Registry has<br />
handled an applicati<strong>on</strong> or compla<strong>in</strong>t.<br />
References may also be made by a c<strong>on</strong>stituent, through his or her Member<br />
of Parliament, to <strong>the</strong> Parliamentary Commissi<strong>on</strong>er (<strong>the</strong> Ombudsman) where<br />
a pers<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>siders that <strong>the</strong> Land Registry has been guilty of<br />
maladm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong>.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
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b) Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Scotland:<br />
The Registers of Scotland (ROS)<br />
Land registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Scotland dates back as far as <strong>the</strong> 13th century.<br />
Scotland’s law of property is fairly complex <strong>in</strong> its orig<strong>in</strong>. It derives from a<br />
mixture of statutes: statutes of <strong>the</strong> ‘old’ Scottish Parliament prior to <strong>the</strong><br />
uni<strong>on</strong> of England and Scotland <strong>in</strong> 1707; statutes of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
parliament <strong>in</strong> L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>; and statutes of <strong>the</strong> ‘new’ devolved Scottish<br />
Parliament established <strong>in</strong> 1999. A major <strong>in</strong>fluence <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> law of property <strong>in</strong><br />
Scotland was feudal law, which is still is evident <strong>in</strong> land registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
activities today. Influences can also be traced back to Roman law. Though<br />
Scotland is now a c<strong>on</strong>stituent part of <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom, it reta<strong>in</strong>s its own<br />
dist<strong>in</strong>ctive legal system that is quite different from <strong>the</strong> legal system<br />
operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> England.<br />
The process of land registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Scotland has always been dynamic, and<br />
even today land registrati<strong>on</strong> is <strong>in</strong> transiti<strong>on</strong> between <strong>the</strong> General Register of<br />
Sas<strong>in</strong>es, a register of deeds established <strong>in</strong> 1617, and <strong>the</strong> (relatively) new<br />
Land Register, a map-based register of title established <strong>in</strong> 1979, which is<br />
progressively supersed<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> General Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es.<br />
As with <strong>the</strong> Land Registry for England and Wales, Registers of Scotland,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Government Agency resp<strong>on</strong>sible for land registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Scotland, also<br />
operates closely with <strong>the</strong> government agency for nati<strong>on</strong>al mapp<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
Ordnance Survey, and uses <strong>the</strong>ir digital maps as <strong>the</strong> basis for <strong>the</strong> mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
element of land registrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Although <strong>the</strong> Scottish system of land registrati<strong>on</strong> has developed from<br />
different historical roots than many systems of C<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ental Europe, its aims<br />
and objectives are <strong>the</strong> same and its modern systems are similar <strong>in</strong> many<br />
respects to those elsewhere <strong>in</strong> Europe as <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g narrative endeavours<br />
to expla<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> The Historical Background – a general overview<br />
In Scotland, <strong>the</strong> registers were established seven centuries ago to give<br />
citizens <strong>the</strong> power and protecti<strong>on</strong> of hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir rights recorded <strong>in</strong> an<br />
official register. Registers were <strong>in</strong>itially kept <strong>in</strong> Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh Castle until <strong>the</strong><br />
Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es, a public register of deeds cover<strong>in</strong>g all of Scotland, was<br />
set up by an Act of Scots Parliament <strong>in</strong> 1617. This public register was<br />
created to reduce <strong>the</strong> possibility of fraud <strong>in</strong> relati<strong>on</strong> to property transfers.<br />
The Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es worked well for many years and still works<br />
reas<strong>on</strong>ably well today.<br />
However, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 20th century, many countries <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world began to move<br />
towards systems of registrati<strong>on</strong> based <strong>on</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> of title to land, and not<br />
just registrati<strong>on</strong> of deeds. These systems typically featured <strong>the</strong> use of maps<br />
and <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong> of guarantees for registered titles. It became apparent that<br />
<strong>the</strong> Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es, hav<strong>in</strong>g nei<strong>the</strong>r of <strong>the</strong>se features, was archaic and <strong>in</strong><br />
need of reform.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
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Legislati<strong>on</strong><br />
The Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act of 1617 <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>the</strong> Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es to Scotland.<br />
Under <strong>the</strong> terms of this Act, a symbolic cerem<strong>on</strong>y <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> pass<strong>in</strong>g of a<br />
handful of earth from <strong>the</strong> seller to <strong>the</strong> buyer marked <strong>the</strong> transfer of title to<br />
<strong>the</strong> land. This cerem<strong>on</strong>y, which was <strong>in</strong>c<strong>on</strong>venient and time-c<strong>on</strong>sum<strong>in</strong>g, was<br />
abolished by <strong>the</strong> Infeftment Act of 1845. Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong> from this Act, title<br />
was transferred purely by deed, and not by symbolic act.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> 350 years s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es, <strong>the</strong>re has<br />
been much legislati<strong>on</strong> that has <strong>in</strong>fluenced <strong>the</strong> land registrati<strong>on</strong> process <strong>in</strong><br />
Scotland. By far <strong>the</strong> most dynamic legislative change, however, was brought<br />
about by <strong>the</strong> Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> (Scotland) Act 1979, which <strong>in</strong>troduced title<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> to Scotland. The Land Register is a register of <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> land<br />
and reveals <strong>the</strong> current state of <strong>the</strong> title to any registered <strong>in</strong>terest. The land<br />
to which <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest relates is identified <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey map.<br />
When an <strong>in</strong>terest is registered, Registers of Scotland issues a Certificate of<br />
Title, called <strong>the</strong> Land Certificate. This def<strong>in</strong>es precisely <strong>the</strong> extent of <strong>the</strong><br />
property <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey map and also gives details of current<br />
registered owners as well as charges over and rights and burdens affect<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> property. The accuracy of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> is guaranteed by <strong>the</strong> state and<br />
compensati<strong>on</strong> is payable for loss suffered as a result of an error or<br />
<strong>in</strong>accuracy <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Register.<br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> is not compulsory <strong>in</strong> Scotland, but s<strong>in</strong>ce registrati<strong>on</strong> is<br />
<strong>the</strong> root of a real right to property, all property tends to be registered.<br />
Without registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is no real title, <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>the</strong> pers<strong>on</strong>al right of <strong>the</strong><br />
buyer aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> seller under <strong>the</strong> written c<strong>on</strong>tract.<br />
The Land Register is guaranteed, public and accessible. As with <strong>the</strong> Sas<strong>in</strong>e<br />
register, <strong>the</strong>re is full public access to <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Register.<br />
A property <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> register can be searched for by <strong>the</strong> name of <strong>the</strong> owner or<br />
by <strong>the</strong> address of <strong>the</strong> property and a search can be c<strong>on</strong>ducted by teleph<strong>on</strong>e,<br />
letter, e-mail, fax or by a visit to <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland Customer<br />
Service Centres. These three features provide citizens with <strong>the</strong> certa<strong>in</strong>ty and<br />
security to transact with land and property with c<strong>on</strong>fidence and c<strong>on</strong>tribute to<br />
simpler c<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g procedures be<strong>in</strong>g required.<br />
Any rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g traces of feudal land tenure with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Scottish land<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> system will be completely abolished <strong>on</strong> 28 November 2004<br />
when <strong>the</strong> Aboliti<strong>on</strong> of Feudal Tenure (Scotland) Act 2000 comes <strong>in</strong>to force.<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong> effect of this Act will be <strong>the</strong> replacement of <strong>the</strong> feudal system of<br />
land tenure with a system of outright ownership of land. Feudal<br />
superiority’s and <strong>the</strong>ir attendant rights to collect feu duty and enforce<br />
burdens will be largely abolished.<br />
The Title C<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s (Scotland) Act 2003 modernises and clarifies <strong>the</strong> law<br />
<strong>on</strong> real burdens and o<strong>the</strong>r title c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s that rema<strong>in</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> aboliti<strong>on</strong><br />
of <strong>the</strong> feudal system. It sets out a framework of rules for <strong>the</strong> impositi<strong>on</strong> of<br />
c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> system of ownership of land, complement<strong>in</strong>g feudal<br />
aboliti<strong>on</strong>. Toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> Aboliti<strong>on</strong> of Feudal Tenure Act, <strong>the</strong> Act will<br />
necessitate a full reappraisal of every registered title to land <strong>in</strong> Scotland.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
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Objectives and Visi<strong>on</strong><br />
Registers of Scotland is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for 16 public registers <strong>in</strong> Scotland. Its<br />
work is dom<strong>in</strong>ated by two registers that relate to rights <strong>in</strong> land - <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Register of Scotland and <strong>the</strong> General Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es. The l<strong>on</strong>g-term<br />
objective of Registers of Scotland is to maximise <strong>the</strong> benefit of land<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> to customers, stakeholders and <strong>the</strong> citizens of Scotland. This<br />
objective will be achieved by compil<strong>in</strong>g and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g accurate registers,<br />
improv<strong>in</strong>g both <strong>the</strong> breadth and depth of <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> available <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
registers and by develop<strong>in</strong>g complementary land and property <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The visi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland is to be recognised as <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong><br />
most efficient and effective land registries <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, where:<br />
• <strong>the</strong> data shown <strong>in</strong> each land certificate is a def<strong>in</strong>itive statement of<br />
comprehensive land and property ownership <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
• <strong>the</strong> register relates <strong>the</strong> legal extent of land and property ownership to a<br />
regularly updated topographical map of Scotland,<br />
• public access is provided to all <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> registers by<br />
electr<strong>on</strong>ic and o<strong>the</strong>r means,<br />
• <strong>the</strong>re is provisi<strong>on</strong> for electr<strong>on</strong>ic registrati<strong>on</strong> of land and property<br />
transacti<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
Def<strong>in</strong>iti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Scots law recognises <strong>the</strong> difference between moveable and immovable<br />
property. ‘Immovable’ property is land (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs attached to <strong>the</strong><br />
land) and rights to land. The ownership of a parcel of land normally implies<br />
ownership of any build<strong>in</strong>g situated <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> parcel. ‘Moveable’ property is<br />
anyth<strong>in</strong>g o<strong>the</strong>r than land. The Land Register is c<strong>on</strong>cerned solely with <strong>the</strong><br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> of immovable property.<br />
The Land Register is a register of <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> land. It reveals <strong>the</strong> current<br />
state of <strong>the</strong> title to any registered <strong>in</strong>terest, and <strong>the</strong> land to which <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest<br />
relates is identified <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey Map (Ordnance Survey is <strong>the</strong><br />
nati<strong>on</strong>al mapp<strong>in</strong>g agency for Great Brita<strong>in</strong> which provides Registers of<br />
Scotland with digitised mapp<strong>in</strong>g data). The word “cadastre” is not <strong>on</strong>e<br />
comm<strong>on</strong>ly used <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK, where for historical reas<strong>on</strong>s <strong>the</strong> development of<br />
land adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>s has taken place <strong>in</strong> a different way from<br />
many o<strong>the</strong>r countries <strong>in</strong> Europe. To all <strong>in</strong>tents and purposes, however, <strong>the</strong><br />
“cadastral” functi<strong>on</strong>s as <strong>the</strong>y relate to identificati<strong>on</strong> of property for land<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> purposes, are carried out by <strong>the</strong> respective land registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK.<br />
Scope<br />
Scotland was c<strong>on</strong>verted to <strong>the</strong> Land Register <strong>on</strong> a county by county basis,<br />
start<strong>in</strong>g with <strong>the</strong> county of Renfrew <strong>on</strong> 6 April 1981, as it would have been<br />
impractical to transfer <strong>the</strong> whole of Scotland to <strong>the</strong> Land Register at <strong>the</strong><br />
same time. By <strong>the</strong> 1 April 2003 all 33 counties of Scotland had been<br />
c<strong>on</strong>verted to <strong>the</strong> Land Register. Only when a property is sold or leased is it<br />
registered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Register and so <strong>the</strong> Sas<strong>in</strong>e Register rema<strong>in</strong>s<br />
operati<strong>on</strong>al for transacti<strong>on</strong>s that do not <strong>in</strong>duce registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> new<br />
Register, such as remortgages. At <strong>the</strong> end of March 2004 <strong>the</strong> Land Register<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed 1,010,748 registered titles. It is still less than half way to <strong>the</strong><br />
complete coverage desired, with Land Register coverage stand<strong>in</strong>g at 38.9%<br />
at <strong>the</strong> end of March 2004. It is estimated that 1,601,049 titles rema<strong>in</strong> to be
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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registered. As <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g properties transfer for value <strong>the</strong>y will enter <strong>the</strong><br />
register as time progresses. Additi<strong>on</strong>ally, <strong>the</strong> transfer of local authority<br />
hous<strong>in</strong>g stock to hous<strong>in</strong>g associati<strong>on</strong>s will add significantly to <strong>the</strong> coverage<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Land Register. There is a possibility that Registers of Scotland may<br />
also <strong>in</strong>troduce a policy of c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> from <strong>the</strong> Sas<strong>in</strong>es Register to <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Register for all transacti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> order to speed up <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> process.<br />
Once land has been registered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Register, all o<strong>the</strong>r transacti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
affect<strong>in</strong>g that land, such as mortgages, discharges, <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of new rights<br />
of way, bankruptcies, covenants, leases etc, are registerable. On this basis<br />
<strong>the</strong> register c<strong>on</strong>stitutes a complete record of subsist<strong>in</strong>g legal <strong>in</strong>terests, rights<br />
and burdens.<br />
Guarantees and Indemnity<br />
The Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> (Scotland) Act 1979 establishes <strong>the</strong> entitlement of a<br />
pers<strong>on</strong> who suffers loss to <strong>in</strong>demnity (i.e. f<strong>in</strong>ancial compensati<strong>on</strong>) when <strong>the</strong><br />
loss is as a result of an error <strong>in</strong> any land certificate or <strong>in</strong> any <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong><br />
provided by Registers of Scotland. The Register may be rectified, but <strong>on</strong>ly<br />
if <strong>the</strong>re is no prejudice to ‘a proprietor <strong>in</strong> possessi<strong>on</strong>’.<br />
A feature of <strong>the</strong> protecti<strong>on</strong> is that rectificati<strong>on</strong> and/or <strong>in</strong>demnity can be<br />
effected even if <strong>the</strong> error or omissi<strong>on</strong> has not arisen as a result of a mistake<br />
by <strong>the</strong> Land Registry. This means that if <strong>the</strong> Land Registry unwitt<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
gives effect to a registrati<strong>on</strong> of an <strong>in</strong>terest, and it <strong>the</strong>n transpires that <strong>the</strong><br />
transacti<strong>on</strong> or <strong>the</strong> documents were <strong>the</strong> subject of fraud, any<strong>on</strong>e who has<br />
suffered loss as a result of registrati<strong>on</strong> can be <strong>in</strong>demnified. Indemnity<br />
payments take account of <strong>the</strong> extent to which a pers<strong>on</strong> has c<strong>on</strong>tributed to<br />
any such loss by <strong>the</strong>ir carelessness. The Land Registry is able to seek<br />
recovery of any <strong>in</strong>demnity that is actually paid and any costs from <strong>the</strong><br />
pers<strong>on</strong>s guilty of <strong>the</strong> fraud.<br />
The Registers of Scotland will enlist <strong>the</strong> help of <strong>in</strong>dependent advisers such<br />
as <strong>the</strong> District Valuer <strong>in</strong> order to effect a fair quantificati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> amount of<br />
<strong>in</strong>demnity to be paid. A dissatisfied claimant may resort to <strong>the</strong> Lands<br />
Tribunal (provisi<strong>on</strong> for which is made at secti<strong>on</strong> 25 of <strong>the</strong> 1979 Act) or take<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r acti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> law. Unsuccessful claims can also give rise to compla<strong>in</strong>ts to<br />
members of <strong>the</strong> Scottish Parliament and/or <strong>the</strong> Parliamentary Ombudsman.<br />
In 2002-03 <strong>in</strong>demnity payments totall<strong>in</strong>g £76,725.10 were paid <strong>on</strong> 53<br />
successful claims and <strong>in</strong> 2003-2004 payments totall<strong>in</strong>g £410,416.68 were<br />
paid <strong>on</strong> 86 successful claims. These figures have to be set aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> total<br />
value of <strong>the</strong> transacti<strong>on</strong>s processed by Registers of Scotland each year<br />
(estimated to exceed £20 billi<strong>on</strong>).<br />
There is no separate Indemnity Fund <strong>in</strong> Scotland. Payments are made from<br />
Registers of Scotland’s funds and a c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>gency for <strong>in</strong>demnity is provided<br />
for <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> accounts, based <strong>on</strong> a review of <strong>the</strong> outstand<strong>in</strong>g claims, potential<br />
claims and an estimate of <strong>the</strong> settlement values. The provisi<strong>on</strong> for <strong>in</strong>demnity<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> current accounts for 2004-2005 is £500,000.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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30<br />
Size of <strong>the</strong> System<br />
The populati<strong>on</strong> of Scotland is 5 milli<strong>on</strong>.<br />
It is estimated that <strong>the</strong>re are 2,611,797 separate parcels of land of which<br />
nearly 1,010,748 are registered. The majority of unregistered properties are<br />
government or municipal properties, or large estates <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> north of<br />
Scotland, which have not been subject of any sale s<strong>in</strong>ce compulsory<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s became law.<br />
A large volume of transacti<strong>on</strong>s are registered each year. In 2003-04, 307,782<br />
transacti<strong>on</strong>s creat<strong>in</strong>g new ownerships and o<strong>the</strong>r rights were registered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Land Register and 122,840 were recorded <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sas<strong>in</strong>e Register, and over<br />
57,000 enquiries, and requests for copies of registers and plans were made.<br />
Services to <strong>the</strong> public<br />
The work of Registers of Scotland <strong>in</strong> relati<strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> Land Register and <strong>the</strong><br />
Register of Sas<strong>in</strong>es can be divided <strong>in</strong>to two broad areas:<br />
(i) transacti<strong>on</strong>s which create, change or cancel entries <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> registers<br />
The Sas<strong>in</strong>e Register is updated with registrati<strong>on</strong>s related to <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
new rights and/or c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, or a mortgage or discharge of mortgage not<br />
associated with a purchase. The registrati<strong>on</strong> of a sale or of a lease will result<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest be<strong>in</strong>g transferred <strong>on</strong>to <strong>the</strong> Land Register. The Land Register<br />
is c<strong>on</strong>stantly updated by <strong>the</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> of sales, leases (last<strong>in</strong>g more than<br />
20 years) of property, and associated mortgages and discharges of<br />
mortgages. Once land has been first registered o<strong>the</strong>r transacti<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
deal<strong>in</strong>gs, such as mortgages, discharges, <strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of new rights and/or<br />
c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, bankruptcies, covenants, leases etc. affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> land are<br />
registerable <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Register. Both registers are wholly open to public<br />
<strong>in</strong>specti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
(ii) searches and <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> enquiries<br />
The majority of searches and enquiries are made by those c<strong>on</strong>templat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
buy<strong>in</strong>g or o<strong>the</strong>rwise deal<strong>in</strong>g with land or lend<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>on</strong>ey <strong>on</strong> land. These are<br />
<strong>the</strong> essential enquiries made by an <strong>in</strong>tend<strong>in</strong>g buyer or lender to ensure that<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are no impediments, risks, or unknown burdens affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> land.<br />
Customers <strong>in</strong>clude citizens and organisati<strong>on</strong>s whose property we register as<br />
well as solicitors and f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>s with whom we deal directly. A<br />
significant number of enquiries will also be made by those who wish to f<strong>in</strong>d<br />
out ownership and o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> about <strong>the</strong> legal <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>in</strong> a property.<br />
These enquiries could be from tenants, neighbours, family members,<br />
creditors, law enforcement agencies, local municipalities and o<strong>the</strong>r official<br />
bodies.<br />
Customers can also search for <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> direct via <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternet through<br />
our <strong>on</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e service Registers Direct and via<br />
www.scotlandshouseprices.gov.uk .
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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Producti<strong>on</strong><br />
MBH1<br />
MBH2<br />
MBH3<br />
SVS<br />
Organisati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland<br />
Registers of Scotland has over 1400 staff occupy<strong>in</strong>g four offices <strong>in</strong><br />
Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh and Glasgow. The ma<strong>in</strong> office is <strong>in</strong> Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh, with a branch <strong>in</strong><br />
Glasgow and two Customer Service Centres, <strong>on</strong>e <strong>in</strong> Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh and <strong>on</strong>e <strong>in</strong><br />
Glasgow.<br />
At <strong>the</strong> top of <strong>the</strong> organisati<strong>on</strong> is <strong>the</strong> Chief Executive who is known by <strong>the</strong><br />
title of <strong>the</strong> Keeper of <strong>the</strong> Registers. He is supported by a Deputy Keeper and<br />
a Manag<strong>in</strong>g Director. The Keeper deals with strategic and policy matters,<br />
whereas <strong>the</strong> Manag<strong>in</strong>g Director is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for <strong>the</strong> daily runn<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong><br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>. These three, toge<strong>the</strong>r with six senior managers, form <strong>the</strong><br />
Management Board.<br />
The Management Board meets <strong>on</strong>ce a m<strong>on</strong>th so that its members can report<br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir activities and <strong>the</strong>ir progress aga<strong>in</strong>st targets, and discuss any major<br />
problems or new <strong>in</strong>itiatives.<br />
Reg. Services<br />
An organisati<strong>on</strong> diagram of Registers of Scotland is shown below:<br />
Management Board Operati<strong>on</strong>al Management<br />
Structure<br />
Corporate Services Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Change<br />
Customer Relati<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Development<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ance and Plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
HR<br />
IT<br />
Legal<br />
Programme<br />
Office<br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
Change Team<br />
Policy – privatisati<strong>on</strong> - and improv<strong>in</strong>g management <strong>in</strong> government<br />
As with <strong>the</strong> Land Registry of England and Wales, Registers of Scotland was<br />
also subject to <strong>the</strong> extensive reforms of public sector management dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> C<strong>on</strong>servative adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong>s from 1979 to 1997.<br />
Registers of Scotland, as a self-f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g organisati<strong>on</strong> deliver<strong>in</strong>g services to<br />
<strong>the</strong> public, became both an Executive Agency (<strong>in</strong> 1990) and a Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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(<strong>in</strong> 1996). Registers of Scotland is operati<strong>on</strong>ally aut<strong>on</strong>omous, which<br />
automatically comes with <strong>the</strong> status of an Executive Agency. It is managed<br />
by its own Chief Executive, <strong>the</strong> Keeper, who is appo<strong>in</strong>ted by <strong>the</strong> Justice<br />
M<strong>in</strong>ister. The appo<strong>in</strong>tment is not political, but it is normally made under a<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tract for a fixed number of years. The Keeper is <strong>the</strong> Account<strong>in</strong>g Officer<br />
for <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund and, as such, is liable to appear<br />
before Parliamentary Committees. The Secretary of State is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for<br />
sett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> policy and resources framework with<strong>in</strong> which Registers of<br />
Scotland operates.<br />
Targets and Performance Measures<br />
As a specialist organisati<strong>on</strong>, Registers of Scotland is allowed to set its own<br />
policies and strategy. It is accountable to <strong>the</strong> new Scottish parliament<br />
through <strong>the</strong> Scottish Executive. The Scottish M<strong>in</strong>ister for Justice has<br />
political resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for Registers of Scotland. In practice, he delegates<br />
this resp<strong>on</strong>sibility to his department, <strong>the</strong> Justice Department. Registers of<br />
Scotland submits an annual report to <strong>the</strong> Scottish M<strong>in</strong>ister of Justice and it<br />
has to agree its bus<strong>in</strong>ess objectives and targets with Scottish M<strong>in</strong>isters.<br />
M<strong>in</strong>isterial targets are set for: <strong>the</strong> return <strong>on</strong> net capital employed, reduc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
standard producti<strong>on</strong> costs, achiev<strong>in</strong>g turnaround times for record<strong>in</strong>g or<br />
register<strong>in</strong>g deeds; registrati<strong>on</strong> accuracy rate; c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g to operate at Charter<br />
Mark Standards; ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g market share and <strong>in</strong>come level from <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Register reports service; and c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> growth of Registers Direct.<br />
Registers of Scotland sets out a 5-year strategy <strong>in</strong> a Corporate Plan which<br />
detail corporate objectives, critical activities, change programme, workload,<br />
staff<strong>in</strong>g and f<strong>in</strong>ancial projecti<strong>on</strong>s for <strong>the</strong> first year of <strong>the</strong> period. A Bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
Plan is produced each year, sett<strong>in</strong>g out Registers of Scotland’s aims and<br />
detailed objectives for that year. These are set by <strong>the</strong> management board to<br />
be c<strong>on</strong>sistent with <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>isterial targets. Registers of Scotland’s<br />
performance <strong>in</strong> reach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se targets is c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>uously m<strong>on</strong>itored throughout<br />
<strong>the</strong> year.<br />
Computerisati<strong>on</strong> and access to <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong><br />
Registers of Scotland has made rapid advances <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> computerisati<strong>on</strong> of all<br />
its registrati<strong>on</strong> processes, with heavy <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> new technology. Both<br />
<strong>the</strong> Sas<strong>in</strong>e Register and <strong>the</strong> Land Register are fully computerised. The Land<br />
Register was computerised from its <strong>in</strong>cepti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> 1981, with digital maps<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> 1993 and <strong>the</strong> Digital Mapp<strong>in</strong>g System (DMS) be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> 1995. The DMS c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s digital maps, Title Plans and an<br />
electr<strong>on</strong>ic gazetteer. The Sas<strong>in</strong>e Register was computerised <strong>in</strong> 1993 and<br />
some 9 milli<strong>on</strong> pages of historic paper records were scanned and digitally<br />
imaged. All documents now submitted for registrati<strong>on</strong> are scanned and<br />
digitally imaged. No paper records are kept.<br />
The development of <strong>on</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e services started <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> late 1980’s, with a full<br />
<strong>in</strong>ternet service, Registers Direct, be<strong>in</strong>g launched <strong>in</strong> 2001. This subscripti<strong>on</strong><br />
service provides immediate access to <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> held by Registers of<br />
Scotland over <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternet. Fees are based <strong>on</strong> each search carried out and<br />
customers are <strong>in</strong>voiced fortnightly. Ownership details, mortgage<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>, rights and encumbrances affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> property, title plans and<br />
house price <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> are all available through Registers Direct. The<br />
primary users of Registers Direct are property professi<strong>on</strong>als, local
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
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authorities, <strong>in</strong>vestigative bodies (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g police, Inland Revenue and<br />
customs and excise) and f<strong>in</strong>ance and credit <strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>s. For ord<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
members of <strong>the</strong> public who wish to access <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> house prices <strong>in</strong> a<br />
particular area, <strong>the</strong> website www.scotlandshouseprices.gov.uk provides <strong>the</strong><br />
prices paid for property <strong>in</strong> a particular post code <strong>in</strong> any 6 m<strong>on</strong>th period for a<br />
<strong>on</strong>e off charge of £4.70 which can be paid <strong>on</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e by credit card.<br />
In comm<strong>on</strong> with many land registrati<strong>on</strong> agencies all over <strong>the</strong> world,<br />
Registers of Scotland is plann<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>the</strong> future and <strong>the</strong> arrival of <strong>the</strong><br />
‘electr<strong>on</strong>ic deed’ and <strong>the</strong> automati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> process. Automated<br />
Registrati<strong>on</strong> of Title to Land (ARTL) is a programme which aims to<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduce paperless, electr<strong>on</strong>ic registrati<strong>on</strong> for rout<strong>in</strong>e Land Register<br />
transacti<strong>on</strong>s, us<strong>in</strong>g software that will enable applicati<strong>on</strong>s for registrati<strong>on</strong> to<br />
be processed electr<strong>on</strong>ically, without human <strong>in</strong>terventi<strong>on</strong>. Registers of<br />
Scotland has already piloted this <strong>in</strong>itiative and it is planned to <strong>in</strong>troduce <strong>the</strong><br />
first electr<strong>on</strong>ic Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> service <strong>in</strong> four counties <strong>in</strong> May 2006, with<br />
a rollout to <strong>the</strong> whole of Scotland by November 2008. Develop<strong>in</strong>g ARTL<br />
will require amendment to exist<strong>in</strong>g legislati<strong>on</strong> and proposals are be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
developed to put to <strong>the</strong> Scottish M<strong>in</strong>isters for <strong>the</strong> changes required.<br />
Registers of Scotland is a participat<strong>in</strong>g member of <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
Land Informati<strong>on</strong> Service (EULIS) Project and is also a participat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
member of <strong>the</strong> Scottish Land Informati<strong>on</strong> Service, better known as ScotLIS.<br />
This is a programme <strong>in</strong> which <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland and many o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s, both public and private, will share all <strong>the</strong> different<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> about land hold<strong>in</strong>g and land use that <strong>the</strong>y hold <strong>on</strong> a shared<br />
computer platform that is accessible to <strong>the</strong> public. ScotLIS aims to provide<br />
a <strong>on</strong>e-stop-shop with easy and affordable access to a wide range of<br />
computer-based <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> about land and property <strong>in</strong> Scotland from both<br />
private and public sectors. A pilot project was officially launched <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
25th of June 2001 compris<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>put from Registers of Scotland, Glasgow<br />
City Council, British Geological Survey, and The Coal Authority<br />
F<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g Land Registry Services<br />
Registers of Scotland is self f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g, and has been s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> year 1868. Its<br />
f<strong>in</strong>ances come solely from earned <strong>in</strong>come, most of which comes from<br />
registrati<strong>on</strong> fees. These fees are set by <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland, under substatutory<br />
regulati<strong>on</strong>s, and are calculated accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> basic pr<strong>in</strong>ciple that<br />
costs should be fully recovered. Approximately 8% of <strong>in</strong>come comes from<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e Registers Direct service.<br />
Fee Income<br />
The turnover of <strong>the</strong> Registers of Scotland was £63,533,138 for 2003-04<br />
(approximately 92 milli<strong>on</strong> Euro)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> – and reference<br />
The Jo<strong>in</strong>t C<strong>on</strong>sultative Committee meets twice a year and c<strong>on</strong>sists of<br />
Members of <strong>the</strong> Law Society of Scotland and members of <strong>the</strong> management<br />
board. This Committee was <strong>in</strong>augurated <strong>in</strong> 1975 to provide a useful forum<br />
for <strong>the</strong> discussi<strong>on</strong> of legal and registrati<strong>on</strong> matters of mutual c<strong>on</strong>cern to <strong>the</strong><br />
legal professi<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong> Keeper of <strong>the</strong> Registers.<br />
Advice to Scottish M<strong>in</strong>isters <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> future directi<strong>on</strong> of Registers of Scotland<br />
Executive Agency is given by <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>isterial Advisory Board, which
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provides a direct l<strong>in</strong>k between <strong>the</strong> Scottish Executive and Registers of<br />
Scotland. The resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities of <strong>the</strong> Board are to report <strong>on</strong> a quarterly basis<br />
to <strong>the</strong> Scottish M<strong>in</strong>isters <strong>on</strong> Registers of Scotland’s performance and to<br />
advise <strong>on</strong> strategic issues. Members of <strong>the</strong> Board have relevant<br />
management, f<strong>in</strong>ancial and corporate experience, and are able to br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent judgement to bear <strong>on</strong> issues of strategy, performance, and<br />
resources.<br />
If an <strong>in</strong>dividual is not satisfied with <strong>the</strong> way Registers of Scotland has<br />
handled an applicati<strong>on</strong> or compla<strong>in</strong>t, <strong>the</strong>y may seek <strong>the</strong> advice of a Member<br />
of Parliament who may refer it to <strong>the</strong> Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman.
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c) Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
The historical background – a general overview<br />
Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> was <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> Ireland 1891 as a result of land reform<br />
legislati<strong>on</strong>, prior to that a Registry of Deeds system had been <strong>in</strong> operati<strong>on</strong><br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce 1708.<br />
The orig<strong>in</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> land reform date back to <strong>the</strong> period follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Great<br />
Fam<strong>in</strong>e of 1845 to 1848, when landlords had set about evict<strong>in</strong>g tenants and<br />
creat<strong>in</strong>g larger, more ec<strong>on</strong>omic hold<strong>in</strong>gs. The Land League was founded to<br />
fight for <strong>the</strong> rights of tenants, at first demand<strong>in</strong>g Fair Rents, Fixture of<br />
Tenure and Freedom of Sale. Subsequently <strong>the</strong> Irish Party <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> British<br />
Parliament took up <strong>the</strong> demands of <strong>the</strong> tenants, and, eventually, <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Purchase Acts were passed. Under <strong>the</strong>se acts <strong>the</strong> Government bought <strong>the</strong><br />
land from <strong>the</strong> landlords and transferred <strong>the</strong> title to <strong>the</strong> tenants, who repaid<br />
<strong>the</strong> purchase price by annuities paid over a period of years.<br />
To secure <strong>the</strong> repayments of <strong>the</strong> land purchase annuities <strong>the</strong> Government<br />
required a system of sure knowledge of <strong>the</strong> titles of <strong>the</strong> former tenants. To<br />
enable land to be sold by <strong>the</strong> new owners, a reliable system of prov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
titles was also needed. The Registrati<strong>on</strong> of Deeds system would clearly be<br />
<strong>in</strong>adequate. Its functi<strong>on</strong>ality was too limited, and it would not be able to<br />
cope with <strong>the</strong> huge <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> number of “owners” brought about by <strong>the</strong><br />
Land Purchase Acts (from a few thousand to potentially milli<strong>on</strong>s). A<br />
precedent for what was apparently an effective system of Title Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
was available from Australia, where Robert Torrens, (a graduate of Tr<strong>in</strong>ity<br />
College Dubl<strong>in</strong>) had succeeded <strong>in</strong> hav<strong>in</strong>g such a system <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> 1857.<br />
Torrens visited England and Ireland promot<strong>in</strong>g his system. In 1891, <strong>the</strong><br />
Local Registrati<strong>on</strong> of Title Act was passed, sett<strong>in</strong>g up a Land Registry <strong>in</strong><br />
Ireland, based <strong>on</strong> a modified versi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Torrens system.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> partiti<strong>on</strong><strong>in</strong>g of Ireland <strong>in</strong> 1921 <strong>the</strong> records relat<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> six<br />
counties form<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> new state of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland were moved to Belfast.<br />
A number of fur<strong>the</strong>r Land Purchases Acts were passed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> period lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
up to <strong>the</strong> sec<strong>on</strong>d world war which significantly <strong>in</strong>creased <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> number of<br />
titles held <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> register.<br />
Due to <strong>the</strong> way <strong>in</strong> which <strong>the</strong> land reform was enacted changes to titles<br />
relat<strong>in</strong>g to properties <strong>in</strong> towns and cities c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued to be recorded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Registry of Deeds while transacti<strong>on</strong>s affect<strong>in</strong>g rural farm land were<br />
recorded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Registry. Annual transacti<strong>on</strong> volumes affect<strong>in</strong>g rural<br />
land rema<strong>in</strong>ed c<strong>on</strong>stant until <strong>the</strong> late 1960’s when <strong>the</strong> demand for hous<strong>in</strong>g<br />
meant <strong>the</strong> encroachment of urban property <strong>in</strong>to rural land. The grow <strong>in</strong><br />
private sector house build<strong>in</strong>g plus <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of right to buy legislati<strong>on</strong><br />
for tenants of public sector hous<strong>in</strong>g resulted <strong>in</strong> c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ual growth <strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
volumes.<br />
The Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act of 1970 <strong>in</strong>troduced legislati<strong>on</strong> enabl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
registry to commence a program of compulsory first registrati<strong>on</strong> to br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
those titles registered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Registry of Deeds under <strong>the</strong> umbrella of <strong>the</strong><br />
Land Registry. Due to budgetary c<strong>on</strong>stra<strong>in</strong>ts and o<strong>the</strong>r priorities <strong>the</strong> program
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did not commence until 1996 with a small pilot project. Only properties<br />
sold for value are affected by <strong>the</strong> legislati<strong>on</strong>. It was quickly recognised that<br />
<strong>the</strong> viability of extend<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> program bey<strong>on</strong>d <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>itial pilot area was<br />
dependent <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of computerisati<strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> registry. The<br />
extensi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> program is discussed fur<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> secti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong><br />
computerisati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The more stable ec<strong>on</strong>omic c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s created by <strong>the</strong> reducti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> terrorist<br />
activity and lower <strong>in</strong>terest rates have <strong>in</strong> recent times created a boom <strong>in</strong><br />
house build<strong>in</strong>g and re-mortgag<strong>in</strong>g which has resulted <strong>in</strong> a dramatic <strong>in</strong>crease<br />
<strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess volumes. In 2003 – 2004 <strong>in</strong> excess of 220,000 transacti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
necessitat<strong>in</strong>g a change to <strong>the</strong> register were received al<strong>on</strong>g with 266,000<br />
requests for searches and copies of documents.<br />
The registry operates a general map system as opposed to <strong>the</strong> file plan<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g systems <strong>in</strong> use <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r United K<strong>in</strong>gdom registries. Under <strong>the</strong><br />
general map system <strong>the</strong> boundaries of all hold<strong>in</strong>g are shown <strong>on</strong> a s<strong>in</strong>gle map<br />
sheet <strong>in</strong> c<strong>on</strong>juncti<strong>on</strong> with <strong>on</strong>e ano<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
The register is an open register and any<strong>on</strong>e can, <strong>on</strong> payment of <strong>the</strong><br />
appropriate fee, view <strong>the</strong> map and text records or any document relat<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
those records.<br />
Aims and Objectives<br />
The pr<strong>in</strong>cipal aims of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry are to support <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and property markets <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland by -:<br />
• guarantee<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> validity of title to registered land;<br />
• resp<strong>on</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g quickly and accurately to requests for land <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong>;<br />
• provid<strong>in</strong>g electr<strong>on</strong>ic services to customers <strong>in</strong> accordance with <strong>the</strong><br />
Modernis<strong>in</strong>g Government <strong>in</strong>itiative and <strong>in</strong> pursuance of <strong>the</strong><br />
Department’s E-bus<strong>in</strong>ess strategy and <strong>the</strong> over-arch<strong>in</strong>g ISIT Corporate<br />
Strategy Framework which is <strong>the</strong> key reference for Government<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland;<br />
• <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>the</strong> amount of land <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> available to <strong>the</strong> public by<br />
extend<strong>in</strong>g compulsory registrati<strong>on</strong> of title throughout Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland;<br />
and<br />
• resolv<strong>in</strong>g disputes regard<strong>in</strong>g registered land.<br />
Targets are Objectives are agreed each year between <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister and Chief<br />
Executive.<br />
Guarantees and Indemnity<br />
In comm<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r United K<strong>in</strong>gdom registries titles <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registry of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland are guaranteed by <strong>the</strong> State. The guarantee<br />
does not however extend to <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Registry Map<br />
unless all parties comm<strong>on</strong> to a legal boundary request that it be registered as<br />
c<strong>on</strong>clusive. The number of applicati<strong>on</strong>s to register boundaries as c<strong>on</strong>clusive<br />
<strong>in</strong> any given year is extremely small.<br />
The registry has had few if any claims for compensati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> recent years.
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Size of <strong>the</strong> System<br />
The populati<strong>on</strong> of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland is approximately 1.7 milli<strong>on</strong>.<br />
It is estimated that <strong>the</strong>re are around 500,000 titles registered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registry, this equates to approximately 60% of <strong>the</strong> total of all titles to land<br />
<strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. The rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g 40% of titles are registered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Registry of Deeds. A progressive <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> number of titles registered<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Land Registry will happen over <strong>the</strong> next ten years due to <strong>the</strong> impact<br />
of <strong>the</strong> recent extensi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> program of compulsory first registrati<strong>on</strong> to all<br />
of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland.<br />
Services to <strong>the</strong> public<br />
The work of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry can be divided <strong>in</strong>to two ma<strong>in</strong> areas<br />
Applicati<strong>on</strong>s for Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
These are applicati<strong>on</strong>s to update <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> held <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> register. On<br />
average 400 are received each day. The most comm<strong>on</strong> applicati<strong>on</strong> is that<br />
relat<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> sale of an exist<strong>in</strong>g house where <strong>the</strong> previous owners<br />
mortgage is released, <strong>the</strong> ownership updated with <strong>the</strong> new owners’ name<br />
and a new mortgage recorded aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> title.<br />
Land Informati<strong>on</strong> Services<br />
These services relate to pers<strong>on</strong>al search<strong>in</strong>g, official search<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong><br />
provisi<strong>on</strong> of copy documentati<strong>on</strong>. These are important services, which assist<br />
purchasers <strong>in</strong> ensur<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong>re are no matters, which will prevent <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al<br />
completi<strong>on</strong> of a sale. The registry also operates a Priority search service<br />
where any<strong>on</strong>e enter<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to a transacti<strong>on</strong> affect<strong>in</strong>g a title can apply to have<br />
priority for 40 days ahead of any o<strong>the</strong>r transacti<strong>on</strong> that may arise.<br />
These services are now totally electr<strong>on</strong>ic and <strong>the</strong> Registry has noticed a<br />
c<strong>on</strong>siderable broaden<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> customer base <strong>in</strong> relati<strong>on</strong> to pers<strong>on</strong>al<br />
search<strong>in</strong>g. Prior to <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of electr<strong>on</strong>ic search<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong><br />
customers would have been those deal<strong>in</strong>g with land transacti<strong>on</strong>s such as<br />
solicitors, legal services providers etc. The customer base has now extended<br />
to <strong>in</strong>clude local councils, law enforcement agencies, banks and revenue<br />
collectors.<br />
Organisati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry<br />
Due to <strong>the</strong> small size of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland all Land Registry operati<strong>on</strong>s are<br />
centred <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> headquarters build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> central Belfast.<br />
The Registrar of Titles is resp<strong>on</strong>sible for ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Land Registry of<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland and <strong>the</strong> post is supported by a Deputy Registrar of Titles.<br />
Under <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act <strong>the</strong> Registrar of Titles<br />
must be a lawyer. The post holder has quasi-judicial powers to grant title<br />
and resolve disputes.<br />
Day to day operati<strong>on</strong>al matters relat<strong>in</strong>g to f<strong>in</strong>ance, pers<strong>on</strong>nel and<br />
achievement of performance targets are <strong>the</strong> resp<strong>on</strong>sibility of <strong>the</strong> Director of<br />
Corporate Services and Plann<strong>in</strong>g. Currently <strong>the</strong>re are 200 staff employed by<br />
Land Registry.
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Policy – privatisati<strong>on</strong> – and improv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> management of government<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> early 1990’s <strong>the</strong>re was extensive reform of <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Civil Service. The reforms focused <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> need improve services and<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease value for m<strong>on</strong>ey and mirrored those which had been successfully<br />
applied to <strong>the</strong> civil service <strong>in</strong> England, Wales and Scotland <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1980’s.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g a comprehensive opti<strong>on</strong>s review <strong>in</strong> 1995 a decisi<strong>on</strong> was taken<br />
that <strong>the</strong> Land Registry should become an executive agency with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Department of <strong>the</strong> Envir<strong>on</strong>ment. In 1996 <strong>the</strong> Land Registers of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland agency was established. The agency has resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for three<br />
separate registries, Land Registry, Registry of Deeds and <strong>the</strong> Statutory<br />
Charges Registry (a registry record<strong>in</strong>g statutory restricti<strong>on</strong>s aga<strong>in</strong>st land or<br />
property).<br />
Executive Agencies are headed by a Chief Executive who is accountable to<br />
<strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ister. Given <strong>the</strong> small size of <strong>the</strong> Land Registers agency <strong>the</strong> Chief<br />
Executive also fulfils <strong>the</strong> role of Registrar of Titles. On launch <strong>the</strong> Chief<br />
Executive made customer focus as a key aim for <strong>the</strong> agency, establish<strong>in</strong>g<br />
communicati<strong>on</strong> channels with customers and c<strong>on</strong>centrat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ma<strong>in</strong><br />
service requirements.<br />
The agency operates under a framework document which sets out <strong>the</strong><br />
requirements of <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ister, <strong>the</strong> Agency’s targets, l<strong>in</strong>es of accountability<br />
and delegati<strong>on</strong> limits.<br />
The Agency operates under a net runn<strong>in</strong>g cost fund<strong>in</strong>g regime. Under this<br />
arrangement it has access to <strong>the</strong> fees generated by workload over and above<br />
that which was projected. This arrangement has worked well, however it is<br />
recognised that a move to Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund status may ultimately prove more<br />
appropriate. The potential to become a Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund is currently under<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Agency status has had a very positive impact <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> organisati<strong>on</strong> focus<strong>in</strong>g<br />
managers <strong>on</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g more bus<strong>in</strong>ess-like <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> delivery of services.<br />
To recognise its establishment <strong>the</strong> Agency hosted a Land Registrati<strong>on</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>ference attended by representatives from a number of o<strong>the</strong>r registries.<br />
This c<strong>on</strong>ference was <strong>the</strong> foundati<strong>on</strong> for bi -annual c<strong>on</strong>ferences where issues<br />
of mutual <strong>in</strong>terest are discussed. The popularity of <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>ference has grown<br />
with registries rotat<strong>in</strong>g its host<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>the</strong> number of participants broadened<br />
to <strong>in</strong>clude a number of European registries.<br />
Targets and Performance Measures<br />
The agency’s key performance measures are:<br />
1. F<strong>in</strong>ance<br />
1.1 Level of f<strong>in</strong>ancial and budgetary c<strong>on</strong>trol achieved.<br />
1.2 Percentage efficiency ga<strong>in</strong>s <strong>on</strong> runn<strong>in</strong>g costs expenditure.<br />
1.3 Full cost recovery achieved
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2. Output<br />
2.1 Number of applicati<strong>on</strong> units processed per member of staff per<br />
m<strong>on</strong>th.<br />
3. Efficiency<br />
3.1 Turnaround times for registrati<strong>on</strong> and land <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> services.<br />
3.2 Unit cost targets achieved.<br />
4. Quality of Service<br />
4.1 To achieve an accuracy rate of at least X % <strong>in</strong> process<strong>in</strong>g<br />
applicati<strong>on</strong>s for registrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
4.2 To achieve an X% customer satisfacti<strong>on</strong> rate based <strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
customer survey<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Computerisati<strong>on</strong><br />
The registry has <strong>on</strong>ly recently <strong>in</strong>troduced computerised processes. The delay<br />
was <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> due to <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g factors:<br />
• <strong>the</strong> small size of <strong>the</strong> registry,<br />
• a failure by <strong>the</strong> parent department to make a firm commitment to <strong>the</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>siderable capital fund<strong>in</strong>g required to deliver <strong>the</strong> computerisati<strong>on</strong><br />
programme, and<br />
• limited technical capability with<strong>in</strong> both <strong>the</strong> parent department’s<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> technology unit and <strong>the</strong> registry to deliver <strong>the</strong> system.<br />
As a result of a number of major failures with public sector IT procurement<br />
<strong>the</strong> last c<strong>on</strong>servative government <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>the</strong> Private F<strong>in</strong>ance Initiative<br />
(PFI). The major tenets of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiative were to lever <strong>in</strong> private sector<br />
f<strong>in</strong>ance and expertise <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> delivery of public services. Us<strong>in</strong>g this<br />
procurement approach <strong>the</strong> specificati<strong>on</strong> of requirements is expressed <strong>in</strong><br />
output terms <strong>the</strong>reby allow<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>in</strong>novati<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong> use of emerg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
technologies. Design and development risks and any associated cost<br />
overruns are hence passed to <strong>the</strong> private sector. The private sector gets its<br />
return <strong>on</strong> its <strong>in</strong>itial <strong>in</strong>vestment via staged payments over <strong>the</strong> lifetime of <strong>the</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>tract.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g its <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> 1993 all IT procurements were required to<br />
dem<strong>on</strong>strate that <strong>the</strong>y had test<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>the</strong> suitability or o<strong>the</strong>rwise of us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>itiative as a procurement opti<strong>on</strong>. Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> electi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> labour<br />
government <strong>in</strong> 1997 <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiative was re-named <strong>the</strong> Public Private<br />
Partnership (PPP) <strong>in</strong>itiative.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g a lengthy procurement exercise Land Registers awarded a<br />
PFI/PPP c<strong>on</strong>tract to Syntegra <strong>the</strong> systems <strong>in</strong>tegrati<strong>on</strong> divisi<strong>on</strong> of British<br />
Telecom (BT) <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> summer of 1999 for a range of computer related<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess services. The c<strong>on</strong>tract is for an <strong>in</strong>itial 10 year period with a review<br />
opti<strong>on</strong> at year 7 and possible extensi<strong>on</strong> to 15 years. The ma<strong>in</strong> elements of<br />
<strong>the</strong> service are as follows
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• back c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> map and text archives of <strong>the</strong> three registries <strong>in</strong>to<br />
computerised format,<br />
• provisi<strong>on</strong> of a suite of standard office products, e-mail, word process<strong>in</strong>g<br />
etc,<br />
• <strong>the</strong> replacement and upgrad<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> computer network with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
headquarters build<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
• <strong>the</strong> provisi<strong>on</strong> and <strong>on</strong>go<strong>in</strong>g ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of all computer hardware,<br />
• <strong>the</strong> development of a computerised registrati<strong>on</strong> system with <strong>in</strong>tegrated<br />
workflow, text process<strong>in</strong>g and digital mapp<strong>in</strong>g capability,<br />
• leas<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey large scale digital map for all of<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, and<br />
• change management and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g services.<br />
The c<strong>on</strong>tract was <strong>the</strong> first fully f<strong>in</strong>ancially free stand<strong>in</strong>g (PFI/PPP) <strong>in</strong> IT,<br />
Land Registers did not make any up fr<strong>on</strong>t <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> project, BT gets<br />
a return <strong>on</strong> its <strong>in</strong>vestment by receiv<strong>in</strong>g a payment each time a transacti<strong>on</strong> is<br />
completed by <strong>the</strong> system. Given <strong>the</strong> demand led nature of <strong>the</strong> Land<br />
Registry’s bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>the</strong> arrangement fits well with any future upward or<br />
downward trends <strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess volumes.<br />
BT viewed <strong>the</strong> advancement of <strong>the</strong> Compulsory First Registrati<strong>on</strong> program<br />
and <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>creased levels of bus<strong>in</strong>ess it would generate as key to <strong>the</strong> recovery<br />
of its <strong>in</strong>vestment. In order to ensure that <strong>the</strong> system was capable of deal<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>creased volumes Land Registers made <strong>the</strong> extensi<strong>on</strong> program<br />
dependent <strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>firmati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> systems performance.<br />
The computerised system is known as LandWeb and has been developed by<br />
close collaborati<strong>on</strong> between Land Registers and Syntegra project teams.<br />
Land Registers provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> detailed bus<strong>in</strong>ess knowledge and Syntegra <strong>the</strong><br />
design and development <strong>in</strong>novati<strong>on</strong>. A key success of <strong>the</strong> project has been<br />
<strong>the</strong> opportunity to exam<strong>in</strong>e and totally re-eng<strong>in</strong>eer <strong>the</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> process.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>tegrati<strong>on</strong> of workflow, text process<strong>in</strong>g and digital mapp<strong>in</strong>g means that<br />
a s<strong>in</strong>gle user can now complete all registrati<strong>on</strong> tasks at a s<strong>in</strong>gle sessi<strong>on</strong>. This<br />
provides a major efficiency when viewed aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> previous<br />
compartmentalised approach to registrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The digital map c<strong>on</strong>sists of two dist<strong>in</strong>ct data sets i.e. vectorised Land<br />
Registry data and Ordnance Survey Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland large-scale digital<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g data. The two data sets are subject to update <strong>in</strong>dependent of <strong>on</strong>e<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r. Land Registry receives regular updates from OSNI of areas where<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>uous change, for example a new hous<strong>in</strong>g development, which<br />
are used to update <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> underly<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Land Registry data. This<br />
approach allows <strong>the</strong> registry to quickly c<strong>on</strong>firm that a legal boundary is or is<br />
not reflective of its ground positi<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Computerisati<strong>on</strong> of data and operati<strong>on</strong>s has allowed <strong>the</strong> registry to <strong>in</strong>troduce<br />
direct access services. LandWeb Direct went live <strong>in</strong> September 2002,<br />
currently <strong>the</strong> service is <strong>on</strong>ly available to registered users who apply for <strong>the</strong>
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service, however it is <strong>in</strong>tended to extend <strong>the</strong> service to <strong>the</strong> general public.<br />
The service allows users to search, view and download locally <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong><br />
held <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> archives. The service uses <strong>the</strong> Government Gateway as a means<br />
of securely au<strong>the</strong>nticat<strong>in</strong>g users access<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> service. Its popularity has<br />
grown rapidly s<strong>in</strong>ce its <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> with <strong>in</strong> excess of 20,000 transacti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
now be<strong>in</strong>g completed each m<strong>on</strong>th, 84% of all Land Registry searches are<br />
now completed via <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternet. The system provides <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g payment<br />
opti<strong>on</strong>s, suspense account, credit or debit card. A recent survey by <strong>the</strong> Law<br />
Society of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland of its members c<strong>on</strong>firmed that LandWeb Direct<br />
is <strong>the</strong> most used website by practiti<strong>on</strong>ers.<br />
The LandWeb project has totally transformed operati<strong>on</strong>s and has allowed<br />
Land Registers to, <strong>in</strong> a very short timeframe, get <strong>on</strong> a par with <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
United K<strong>in</strong>gdom registries. The LandWeb project has received many<br />
commendati<strong>on</strong>s, <strong>the</strong> highest be<strong>in</strong>g w<strong>in</strong>ner of <strong>the</strong> IT category at <strong>the</strong> United<br />
K<strong>in</strong>gdom PFI of <strong>the</strong> year awards <strong>in</strong> 2000 where it was described by <strong>the</strong><br />
judg<strong>in</strong>g panel as truly dem<strong>on</strong>strat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> transformative nature of PFI.<br />
GIS Strategy (Mosaic)<br />
The <strong>in</strong>troducti<strong>on</strong> of digital mapp<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> registrati<strong>on</strong> process has<br />
streng<strong>the</strong>ned Land Registry’s commitment to advanc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> potential for <strong>the</strong><br />
use of geographic <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> (GI) <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. Land Registry<br />
toge<strong>the</strong>r with Ordnance Survey Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Lands<br />
Agency and <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland Hous<strong>in</strong>g Executive form a key sectorial<br />
group<strong>in</strong>g exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g ways <strong>in</strong> which GI can be enhanced <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> land and<br />
property arena.<br />
E-C<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
The success of <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e access for <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> enquiries has created a<br />
firm foundati<strong>on</strong> for <strong>the</strong> potential to extend <strong>the</strong> service to <strong>on</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>e registrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The Law Society for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland have expressed a keen <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong><br />
becom<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>volved, however a number of changes to Land Registry<br />
legislati<strong>on</strong> will be required to enable e-c<strong>on</strong>veyanc<strong>in</strong>g to become a reality.<br />
F<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g Land Registry Services<br />
The Land Registrati<strong>on</strong> Act requires that fees for services must be set at a<br />
level sufficient to cover <strong>the</strong> expenditure <strong>in</strong>curred <strong>in</strong> operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Registry.<br />
The sett<strong>in</strong>g of fees is <strong>the</strong> subject of c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> with <strong>the</strong> Land Registry<br />
Rules committee, <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister and those bodies form<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> customer forum<br />
- <strong>the</strong> Law Society of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, Estate Agents representative body,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Council of Mortgage Lenders, <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland Hous<strong>in</strong>g Executive<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland C<strong>on</strong>sumer council.<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong> objective <strong>in</strong> sett<strong>in</strong>g fees is to set <strong>the</strong>m as low as is practical while<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g to improve <strong>the</strong> delivery of service.<br />
Fee Income<br />
In 2003 –2004 <strong>the</strong> total Land Registry fee <strong>in</strong>come was just <strong>in</strong> excess of £12<br />
milli<strong>on</strong>.
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C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> and reference<br />
The Land Registry has established <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g communicati<strong>on</strong> channels to<br />
seek feedback <strong>on</strong> all aspects of customer service:<br />
• <strong>the</strong> Customers’ Forum which represents <strong>the</strong> views of solicitors, estate<br />
agents, mortgage lenders, law searchers and public sector customers;<br />
• regular meet<strong>in</strong>gs of <strong>the</strong> Land Registry / Law Society Liais<strong>on</strong><br />
Committee;<br />
• analysis of customers compla<strong>in</strong>ts;<br />
• comment sheets at public offices; and<br />
• annual customer satisfacti<strong>on</strong> survey.
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5. Secti<strong>on</strong> C<br />
43<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
This Secti<strong>on</strong> describes <strong>the</strong> functi<strong>on</strong>s, structure and relati<strong>on</strong>ships of <strong>the</strong><br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g Agencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> three jurisdicti<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> United<br />
K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
a) England and Wales, and Scotland<br />
b) Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
a) Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g for England and Wales, and<br />
Scotland<br />
Ordnance Survey<br />
Ordnance Survey is <strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al mapp<strong>in</strong>g agency of Great Brita<strong>in</strong>, with a<br />
l<strong>on</strong>g history of produc<strong>in</strong>g paper maps and <strong>in</strong>telligent geographic data. This<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> benefits tens of milli<strong>on</strong>s of people every day, assist<strong>in</strong>g public<br />
sector activities from help<strong>in</strong>g police to detect crime patterns and locat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
sites for house build<strong>in</strong>g, to plann<strong>in</strong>g new countryside access and c<strong>on</strong>troll<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> flow of urban traffic. A study <strong>in</strong> 1999 found that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong><br />
produced by Ordnance Survey underp<strong>in</strong>s £100 billi<strong>on</strong> ec<strong>on</strong>omic activity <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> country.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> “cadastral” envir<strong>on</strong>ment Ordnance Survey provides c<strong>on</strong>textual<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> to help def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> spatial extent of a property or title<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> real world. Ordnance Survey’s data is used as reference data by <strong>the</strong><br />
o<strong>the</strong>r organisati<strong>on</strong>s menti<strong>on</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> this document to def<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> spatial c<strong>on</strong>text<br />
of <strong>the</strong>ir map data which is often derived from Ordnance Survey data.<br />
Staff numbers and geographic spread<br />
Ordnance Survey’s 1500-str<strong>on</strong>g workforce <strong>in</strong>cludes more than 350<br />
surveyors who c<strong>on</strong>stantly measure and record <strong>the</strong> chang<strong>in</strong>g British<br />
landscape from a network of field offices stretch<strong>in</strong>g from Inverness to<br />
Truro.<br />
Informati<strong>on</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>red by ground and air surveys is added to a large database<br />
at <strong>the</strong> Southampt<strong>on</strong> head office, build<strong>in</strong>g an electr<strong>on</strong>ic map document<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
whole of Brita<strong>in</strong>. This new generati<strong>on</strong> of data is called OS MasterMap®,<br />
which references more than 440 milli<strong>on</strong> man-made and natural landscape<br />
features. Aerial photographic images, property address data and <strong>in</strong>tegrated<br />
transport <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> complement this topographic mapp<strong>in</strong>g, with around<br />
5000 changes made to <strong>the</strong> database every day.<br />
Historical Background<br />
Ordnance Survey was formed <strong>in</strong> 1791, when <strong>the</strong> government realised that <strong>in</strong><br />
plann<strong>in</strong>g defences to repel <strong>in</strong>vasi<strong>on</strong>, <strong>the</strong> South Coast of England needed to<br />
be accurately mapped. It <strong>in</strong>structed its Board of Ordnance – part of <strong>the</strong><br />
defence m<strong>in</strong>istry of its day – to complete <strong>the</strong> necessary survey work. This<br />
led to <strong>the</strong> decisi<strong>on</strong> to map <strong>the</strong> whole country, with <strong>the</strong> first Ordnance Survey<br />
map published <strong>in</strong> 1801 of <strong>the</strong> County of Kent.<br />
The first large-scale map was c<strong>on</strong>verted to computer form <strong>in</strong> 1973 and by<br />
1995 <strong>the</strong> last of <strong>the</strong> 230,000 maps was digitised. As a result, Brita<strong>in</strong> became<br />
<strong>the</strong> first country <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world to complete a nati<strong>on</strong>al ‘electr<strong>on</strong>ic jigsaw’ of<br />
highly-detailed maps.
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Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund<br />
Ordnance Survey was granted Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund status <strong>in</strong> 1999, to be f<strong>in</strong>anced<br />
through data licens<strong>in</strong>g ra<strong>the</strong>r than direct fund<strong>in</strong>g from <strong>the</strong> tax payer. This<br />
gives it <strong>the</strong> freedom to <strong>in</strong>novate and develop with a duty to observe specific<br />
f<strong>in</strong>ancial targets set by <strong>the</strong> Treasury. The f<strong>in</strong>ances of <strong>the</strong> collecti<strong>on</strong>,<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance and provisi<strong>on</strong> of nati<strong>on</strong>al geographical <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> are<br />
separated from general taxati<strong>on</strong> revenue, provid<strong>in</strong>g a sharper focus <strong>on</strong><br />
achiev<strong>in</strong>g value for m<strong>on</strong>ey and provid<strong>in</strong>g key services and supplies more<br />
effectively.<br />
Ordnance Survey does not seek general fund<strong>in</strong>g from Parliament each year<br />
but reports to Parliament through a m<strong>in</strong>ister <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Office of <strong>the</strong> Deputy<br />
Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister. Its Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund status means it can re<strong>in</strong>vest profits and<br />
plan for <strong>the</strong> l<strong>on</strong>ger term ra<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>on</strong> a year-to-year basis.<br />
NIMSA<br />
When Ordnance Survey became a Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund, a Nati<strong>on</strong>al Interest<br />
Mapp<strong>in</strong>g Services Agreement (NIMSA) was put <strong>in</strong> place. This is a<br />
government c<strong>on</strong>tract to help fund specific mapp<strong>in</strong>g activities that are vital to<br />
<strong>the</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al <strong>in</strong>terest but which cannot be justified <strong>on</strong> purely commercial<br />
grounds. They <strong>in</strong>clude tasks such as keep<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> most detailed mapp<strong>in</strong>g of<br />
remote areas up-to-date – places where such mapp<strong>in</strong>g is vital for public<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong>, but where <strong>the</strong>re is little o<strong>the</strong>r demand. This work is carried<br />
out <strong>on</strong> a not-for-profit basis.<br />
Revenue<br />
Ordnance Survey exceeded <strong>the</strong> government-set target of a 9 per cent annual<br />
average return <strong>on</strong> capital employed dur<strong>in</strong>g its first five-year period as a selff<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Trad<strong>in</strong>g Fund. For 2003-04 it posted a surplus of £5.6 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
(before <strong>in</strong>terest and excepti<strong>on</strong>al charges) <strong>on</strong> turnover from operat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
activities of £116.3 milli<strong>on</strong> – and has exceeded all <strong>the</strong> annual f<strong>in</strong>ancial and<br />
service quality targets set for it by M<strong>in</strong>isters.<br />
Trad<strong>in</strong>g revenue <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> year to 31 March 2004 rose by a fur<strong>the</strong>r £7.7 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
to £101.6 milli<strong>on</strong>, reflect<strong>in</strong>g str<strong>on</strong>g growth <strong>in</strong> customer base. This <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
revenue through commercial partners, which <strong>in</strong>creased by 15% to reflect <strong>the</strong><br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g significance of <strong>the</strong> value-added products and services <strong>in</strong>corporat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Ordnance Survey data offered by more than 300 companies. Overall<br />
operat<strong>in</strong>g expenditure for 2003-04 came <strong>in</strong> at £110.6 milli<strong>on</strong> – virtually<br />
identical to <strong>the</strong> previous year – even though this <strong>in</strong>cluded £2.6 milli<strong>on</strong><br />
restructur<strong>in</strong>g costs.<br />
Geodetic reference<br />
Ordnance Survey ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s <strong>the</strong> geodetic reference system <strong>in</strong> Great Brita<strong>in</strong>.<br />
All mapp<strong>in</strong>g products are currently based <strong>on</strong> a c<strong>on</strong>sistent coord<strong>in</strong>ate system<br />
for Great Brita<strong>in</strong>, <strong>the</strong> British Nati<strong>on</strong>al Grid. Ordnance Survey offers a<br />
def<strong>in</strong>itive, high accuracy coord<strong>in</strong>ate transformati<strong>on</strong> between <strong>the</strong> British<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al grid and <strong>the</strong> pan-European GPS-based ETRS89, Ordnance Survey<br />
also def<strong>in</strong>e and looks after <strong>the</strong> height datums <strong>in</strong> Great Brita<strong>in</strong> al<strong>on</strong>g with<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir transformati<strong>on</strong>s to ETRS89. A real time GPS reference network<br />
cover<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> whole of Great Brita<strong>in</strong> is also ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed with raw GPS data<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g served to <strong>the</strong> public for free over <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternet. Ordnance Survey is<br />
develop<strong>in</strong>g a nati<strong>on</strong>al Real Time K<strong>in</strong>ematic (RTK) network that will enable<br />
centimetric positi<strong>on</strong><strong>in</strong>g for <strong>in</strong>ternal use – with external potential.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
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Topographic mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
The mapp<strong>in</strong>g data that is most widely used by <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r organisati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
menti<strong>on</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> this document is topographic data. This data comprises<br />
representati<strong>on</strong>s of physical landscape features a surveyor can record <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
ground or from aerial photography. The data c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s no explicit property<br />
boundaries but does c<strong>on</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istrative boundaries such as counties or<br />
districts. Typical features <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> data are build<strong>in</strong>g-footpr<strong>in</strong>ts, road<br />
carriageways, pavement extents, fences, hedges and vegetati<strong>on</strong> boundaries.<br />
While <strong>the</strong> corner of a build<strong>in</strong>g is a feature that can accurately be identified<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> real world even decades after <strong>the</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g has be<strong>in</strong>g built (but not<br />
altered) <strong>the</strong> positi<strong>on</strong> of a hedge or fence is naturally less accurately def<strong>in</strong>ed,<br />
but generally still used to suggest property extents. Physical markers, as<br />
used <strong>in</strong> c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ental Europe to physically def<strong>in</strong>e o<strong>the</strong>rwise n<strong>on</strong>-physical<br />
boundaries, such as <strong>the</strong> title extent of a property, are not used <strong>in</strong> Great<br />
Brita<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al coverage for <strong>the</strong> digital topographic database has been available<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce 1995 <strong>in</strong> a tile-based (digital map sheet) envir<strong>on</strong>ment. S<strong>in</strong>ce 2001 <strong>the</strong><br />
data has been available <strong>in</strong> a seamless database product called OS<br />
MasterMap. Every feature <strong>in</strong> this database has its own unique identifier or<br />
TOID® – a 16–digit reference number that can be shared with o<strong>the</strong>r users<br />
across different applicati<strong>on</strong>s and systems. This allows easy data associati<strong>on</strong><br />
and greater accuracy, focus<strong>in</strong>g <strong>on</strong> real–world objects <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> map. OS<br />
MasterMap’s unique polyg<strong>on</strong>s can be coloured, improv<strong>in</strong>g visual display,<br />
hence facilitat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>terpretati<strong>on</strong> of what is actually <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> ground.<br />
The accuracy to which this data has been collected is closely related to <strong>the</strong><br />
scale of <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al mapp<strong>in</strong>g. This was 1:1250 <strong>in</strong> urban areas, 1:2500 <strong>in</strong><br />
rural areas and 1:10000 <strong>in</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong> areas. Thus data <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong> areas<br />
is captured to a lower positi<strong>on</strong>al accuracy than that <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> urban areas.<br />
Positi<strong>on</strong>al Accuracy Improvement<br />
A large amount of <strong>the</strong> surveys that form <strong>the</strong> backb<strong>on</strong>e of today’s large-scale<br />
digital base data was acquired dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> first half of <strong>the</strong> 20th century. At<br />
that time it was comm<strong>on</strong> practice to use separate, county-specific reference<br />
and coord<strong>in</strong>ate systems to survey and display <strong>the</strong> maps (County Series<br />
maps). A fundamental approach to <strong>in</strong>tegrate those projecti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong>to <strong>on</strong>e<br />
comm<strong>on</strong> metric coord<strong>in</strong>ate system for Great Brita<strong>in</strong>, <strong>the</strong> British Nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Grid, was started <strong>in</strong> 1935 and f<strong>in</strong>ished after <strong>the</strong> Sec<strong>on</strong>d World War. With <strong>the</strong><br />
technology available at <strong>the</strong> time, <strong>the</strong> maps were repositi<strong>on</strong>ed <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong><br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Grid, but couldn’t always be pasted toge<strong>the</strong>r without discrepancies.<br />
It was tried to absorb <strong>the</strong>se <strong>in</strong>to more flexible features, such as rivers or<br />
open land, ra<strong>the</strong>r than built-up areas, but <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>evitable result was n<strong>on</strong>systematic<br />
errors <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> result<strong>in</strong>g map. At <strong>the</strong> time, and <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> decades<br />
follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se errors were not significant to <strong>the</strong> users of <strong>the</strong> maps.<br />
However, <strong>the</strong> arrival of GPS highlighted <strong>the</strong> errors.<br />
To allow <strong>the</strong> use of GPS measurements <strong>in</strong> c<strong>on</strong>juncti<strong>on</strong>s with <strong>the</strong>se maps,<br />
achieve <strong>in</strong>ternal efficiency ga<strong>in</strong>s, and offer a better accuracy standard to <strong>the</strong><br />
users, it was decided to improve <strong>the</strong> horiz<strong>on</strong>tal positi<strong>on</strong>al accuracy of <strong>the</strong><br />
map data.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> late 1990s Ordnance Survey started to plan a nati<strong>on</strong>al program to<br />
improve <strong>the</strong> Absolute Positi<strong>on</strong>al Accuracy of its rural large-scale map base.
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This affects all rural mapp<strong>in</strong>g totall<strong>in</strong>g about 155 000 km2 or two thirds of<br />
Great Brita<strong>in</strong>’s land area. Data delivery began <strong>in</strong> 2001 and will be<br />
completed by March 2006. Until <strong>the</strong>n Ordnance Survey is go<strong>in</strong>g to re-issue<br />
an average of 5 000 km2 of positi<strong>on</strong>ally improved topographic data per<br />
m<strong>on</strong>th.<br />
For users of this data, particularly <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> “cadastral” envir<strong>on</strong>ment this results<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> potential need to br<strong>in</strong>g derived datasets, such as digitised property<br />
extents, back <strong>in</strong> sympathy with <strong>the</strong> positi<strong>on</strong>ally improved reference data.<br />
Ma<strong>in</strong>tenance and Collaborati<strong>on</strong><br />
One of Ordnance Survey core tasks is to c<strong>on</strong>stantly pick-up physical<br />
changes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> real world, <strong>in</strong>tegrate <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> map data and make <strong>the</strong>m<br />
available to <strong>the</strong> data users. Therefore modern capture technologies such as<br />
GPS, m<strong>on</strong>o- and stereo-plott<strong>in</strong>g from aerial photography are utilised.<br />
Features that require a high currency of updates, such as new build<strong>in</strong>gs, are<br />
guaranteed to be available <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> map data six m<strong>on</strong>ths after <strong>the</strong>y have been<br />
built. M<strong>in</strong>or detail, like a changed fence l<strong>in</strong>e, is picked up through a cyclic<br />
revisi<strong>on</strong> programme.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> case of Land Registry, Ordnance Survey’s topographic map data is<br />
used to digitise <strong>the</strong> extent of a title. Ordnance Survey data does not def<strong>in</strong>e<br />
<strong>the</strong> legal extent of a title as such, but can be <strong>in</strong>dicative. In order to meet<br />
Land Registry’s need to access new property developments very closely<br />
after <strong>the</strong>y have been built, Ordnance Survey has agreed to survey those<br />
developments <strong>on</strong> request by Land Registry <strong>in</strong> an agreed time of less than 1<br />
m<strong>on</strong>th and deliver <strong>the</strong> surveyed features to <strong>the</strong>m through a very efficient<br />
delivery mechanism <strong>on</strong> a daily basis.<br />
Ordnance Survey also co-operates very closely with <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office,<br />
Registers of Scotland and most local and central government department,<br />
who are all c<strong>on</strong>tracted to license digital map data from Ordnance Survey.<br />
Ordnance Survey’s active engagement <strong>on</strong> a European and worldwide level<br />
<strong>on</strong> issues relat<strong>in</strong>g to data <strong>in</strong>clude EuroGeographics, EuroSDR, <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Permanent</strong> Committee <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cadastre, <strong>the</strong> UNECE WPLA, <strong>the</strong><br />
Internati<strong>on</strong>al Federati<strong>on</strong> of Surveyors (FiG) and <strong>the</strong> Open GeoSpatial<br />
C<strong>on</strong>sortium.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Comparative</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cadastral</strong> <strong>Systems</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
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b) Nati<strong>on</strong>al Mapp<strong>in</strong>g for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
The Ordnance Survey for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
Ordnance Survey of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland (OSNI) is an Executive Agency <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL). It is <strong>the</strong> official<br />
Government organisati<strong>on</strong> resp<strong>on</strong>sible for supply<strong>in</strong>g mapp<strong>in</strong>g and geographic<br />
<strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> services for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland.<br />
OSNI’s work provides <strong>the</strong> foundati<strong>on</strong> for <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> about locati<strong>on</strong>. It<br />
captures and records data about place and locati<strong>on</strong>; it def<strong>in</strong>es directi<strong>on</strong>,<br />
distance, area and height, and it provides <strong>the</strong> unique record of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland’s landscape and built envir<strong>on</strong>ment.<br />
OSNI <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> is supplied under license to many customers, primarily to<br />
support <strong>the</strong> work undertaken by Government <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> public’s <strong>in</strong>terest.<br />
However, OSNI also provides its <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> to many o<strong>the</strong>r organisati<strong>on</strong>s to<br />
support <strong>the</strong>ir operati<strong>on</strong>s of for <strong>the</strong>ir commercial exploitati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Historical Background<br />
Early <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> n<strong>in</strong>eteenth century it became obvious that <strong>the</strong> local taxes <strong>in</strong><br />
Ireland, which were called <strong>the</strong> County cess and based <strong>on</strong> townland units,<br />
were <strong>in</strong>equitable and that although <strong>the</strong> names and outl<strong>in</strong>es of <strong>the</strong> divisi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
were assumed to be well known, <strong>the</strong> acreages and rateable values were<br />
doubtful. On <strong>the</strong> recommendati<strong>on</strong>s of <strong>the</strong> Spr<strong>in</strong>g Rice Committee a survey<br />
of all Ireland at a scale of 6 <strong>in</strong>ches to <strong>on</strong>e mile was authorised by <strong>the</strong> British<br />
Parliament <strong>in</strong> 1824. Lt Col Thomas Colby was chosen to undertake this task<br />
and established his headquarters <strong>in</strong> Mountjoy House <strong>in</strong> Phoenix Park,<br />
Dubl<strong>in</strong> where Ordnance Survey Ireland rema<strong>in</strong> to this day.<br />
The divisi<strong>on</strong> of Ireland <strong>in</strong> 1922 resulted <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> emergence of separate<br />
Ordnance Surveys: <strong>the</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al body, which had been resp<strong>on</strong>sible for<br />
mapp<strong>in</strong>g Great Brita<strong>in</strong> and Ireland, now resp<strong>on</strong>sible for England, Wales and<br />
Scotland; <strong>the</strong> Ordnance Survey of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland; and a third Ordnance<br />
Survey, which rema<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> Mountjoy House, tak<strong>in</strong>g resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for <strong>the</strong><br />
survey of <strong>the</strong> rest of Ireland.<br />
In 1981 OSNI carried out a feasibility study to establish <strong>the</strong> benefits of<br />
replac<strong>in</strong>g c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al map producti<strong>on</strong> with computer-based systems. The<br />
plan <strong>in</strong>volved digital c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> and updat<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> paper map archive<br />
(completed <strong>in</strong> 2000) to provide not <strong>on</strong>ly a complete digital topographical<br />
database of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland but, more importantly, form <strong>the</strong> basis for <strong>the</strong><br />
development of a geographic <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong>frastructure l<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g all major<br />
Government and public utility functi<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
OSNI <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 21st Century<br />
Today OSNI employs over 160 staff based <strong>in</strong> its headquarters <strong>in</strong> Colby<br />
House, Belfast and <strong>in</strong> a number of regi<strong>on</strong>al offices throughout Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland. The job of ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> mapp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>frastructure provides <strong>the</strong><br />
ma<strong>in</strong> focus of <strong>the</strong> Agency. The provisi<strong>on</strong> of detailed and up-to-date maps is<br />
essential to <strong>the</strong> needs of a modern society, not <strong>on</strong>ly are maps needed for<br />
land registrati<strong>on</strong> and plann<strong>in</strong>g purposes <strong>the</strong>y are fundamental to <strong>the</strong><br />
emergency services and for emergency plann<strong>in</strong>g purposes.
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OSNI mapp<strong>in</strong>g does not <strong>in</strong> itself def<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> extent of <strong>the</strong> legal tile however<br />
it is used by <strong>the</strong> Land Registers of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland (LRNI) as <strong>the</strong> basis for<br />
<strong>the</strong> vectorised Land Registry data<br />
OSNI surveys all of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland at scales of ei<strong>the</strong>r 1:1250 or 1:2500<br />
and <strong>the</strong> mapp<strong>in</strong>g is kept up-to-date through two revisi<strong>on</strong> programmes:<br />
C<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>uous Revisi<strong>on</strong> (CR) where major1 topographic change is captured<br />
<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> database with<strong>in</strong> 6 m<strong>on</strong>ths of notificati<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong> Periodic Revisi<strong>on</strong><br />
(PR) programme where all o<strong>the</strong>r topographic change is captured <strong>on</strong> a<br />
regular basis, as follows:<br />
• Built up city, town and village areas are updated at least <strong>on</strong>ce every 5<br />
years<br />
• Developed rural areas of high topographic change are revised every 7<br />
years<br />
• Rural areas with low levels of change are revised every 10 years<br />
In <strong>in</strong>stances where LRNI require a survey of a new build<strong>in</strong>g development<br />
that, due to its unit count, would not be <strong>in</strong>cluded with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> normal CR<br />
programme, OSNI will usually undertake a special survey and fast track <strong>the</strong><br />
supply of <strong>the</strong> updated digital map tile.<br />
The mapp<strong>in</strong>g is updated from aerial photography <strong>on</strong> digital stereo<br />
workstati<strong>on</strong>s and by field survey teams us<strong>in</strong>g pen computers.<br />
OSNI implemented an <strong>in</strong>ternet-based system for <strong>the</strong> producti<strong>on</strong> of address<br />
centred maps <strong>in</strong> November 2003. The <strong>on</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e system replaced an exist<strong>in</strong>g<br />
DOS-based system. The address centred extract (ACEmap) is widely used<br />
with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> land registrati<strong>on</strong> process.<br />
Po<strong>in</strong>ter<br />
Po<strong>in</strong>ter® is <strong>the</strong> name given to <strong>the</strong> address database be<strong>in</strong>g developed for<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland with <strong>the</strong> jo<strong>in</strong>t support of Ordnance Survey of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Ireland, <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> & Lands Agency (VLA) and Royal Mail, <strong>in</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>juncti<strong>on</strong> with local councils. It provides a comm<strong>on</strong> standard address for<br />
every property <strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. Each property has been allocated a<br />
unique reference number and geo-spatial coord<strong>in</strong>ates.<br />
The Po<strong>in</strong>ter database was created follow<strong>in</strong>g a complex data match<strong>in</strong>g<br />
exercise <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> address datasets ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed by Ordnance Survey of<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, Royal Mail and <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> & Lands Agency. Follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
this data match<strong>in</strong>g exercise, extensive ground validati<strong>on</strong> work was<br />
undertaken <strong>in</strong> order to verify <strong>the</strong> accuracy of addresses. This exercise was<br />
undertaken across Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, and ended <strong>in</strong> November 2003.<br />
The project is directed by a cross-organisati<strong>on</strong>al Project Board compris<strong>in</strong>g<br />
representati<strong>on</strong> from <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland E-Government Unit, Ordnance<br />
Survey of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, <strong>the</strong> Valuati<strong>on</strong> & Lands Agency, Royal Mail,<br />
Water Service and <strong>the</strong> Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.<br />
A team has been established with<strong>in</strong> OSNI to manage <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong><br />
Major topographic change is def<strong>in</strong>ed as properties or road changes of 10
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49<br />
units or more, where a unit is a house and its associated property boundary,<br />
or 20 metres of road complete with footpaths.<br />
Po<strong>in</strong>ter system, and to fully develop and implement <strong>the</strong> address life cycle to<br />
ensure that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrity of <strong>the</strong> address data is ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed.<br />
MOSAIC<br />
The MOSAIC Programme is <strong>the</strong> brand name for <strong>the</strong> implementati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />
Geographic Informati<strong>on</strong> (GI) Strategy for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, an <strong>in</strong>itiative<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g progressed by <strong>the</strong> Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure (DCAL),<br />
through its Agency, Ordnance Survey of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland (OSNI).<br />
Over <strong>the</strong> past two years, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland has become <strong>the</strong> first regi<strong>on</strong> with<strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom to develop a GI Strategy. S<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> endorsement of <strong>the</strong><br />
Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement by <strong>the</strong> people of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, <strong>the</strong><br />
devoluti<strong>on</strong> of power has offered a real opportunity for <strong>the</strong> local<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrati<strong>on</strong> to beg<strong>in</strong> to address, <strong>in</strong> a c<strong>on</strong>structive and <strong>in</strong>clusive way, <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong>al barriers prevent<strong>in</strong>g progress <strong>in</strong> GI.<br />
Significant progress has been made toward achiev<strong>in</strong>g this goal, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>the</strong> creati<strong>on</strong> of an Implementati<strong>on</strong> Project Board, a Programme Office, and a<br />
number of sectoral and project groups <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
• Culture & Heritage<br />
• Educati<strong>on</strong> and Awareness<br />
• Public Safety & Emergency Services<br />
• Envir<strong>on</strong>ment & Agriculture<br />
• Land & Property<br />
• Utilities & Networks<br />
• Transport<br />
• Health & Social Improvement<br />
• Statistics<br />
• Key Datasets<br />
The purpose of <strong>the</strong> Implementati<strong>on</strong> Project Board is to oversee <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>itial<br />
implementati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Sectoral and Overarch<strong>in</strong>g Steer<strong>in</strong>g Groups. This<br />
Project Board is chaired by <strong>the</strong> Chief Executive of OSNI and comprises<br />
representatives from each sectoral group.<br />
In order to support <strong>the</strong> work of <strong>the</strong> Implementati<strong>on</strong> Project Board, a<br />
Programme Office has also been established. The office provides<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrative and technical support dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> implementati<strong>on</strong> stage of <strong>the</strong><br />
GI Strategy, and provides a focal po<strong>in</strong>t for geographic <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> coord<strong>in</strong>ati<strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland, and a first c<strong>on</strong>tact po<strong>in</strong>t for UK and EC<br />
<strong>in</strong>terests.
6. C<strong>on</strong>tact names<br />
and email addresses<br />
50<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g Agencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom provided <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
this <str<strong>on</strong>g>Analysis</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Agency<br />
Valuati<strong>on</strong> Office for England (VOA)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: John E Reeves<br />
Email: john.e.reeves@voa.gsi.gov.uk<br />
Agency<br />
The Scottish Assessors Associati<strong>on</strong> (SAA)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: Sandy McC<strong>on</strong>ochie<br />
Email: amc<strong>on</strong>ochie@grampian-vjb.gov.uk<br />
Agency<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland Valuati<strong>on</strong> and Lands Agency(VLA)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: Nigel Woods<br />
Email: Nigel.Woods@dfpni.gov.uk<br />
Agency<br />
Her Majesty’s Land Registry for England and Wales (HMLR)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: John Manthorpe<br />
Email: landman@dirc<strong>on</strong>.co.uk<br />
Agency<br />
Registers of Scotland (ROS)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: Ailsa Roberts<strong>on</strong><br />
Email: Ailsa.Roberts<strong>on</strong>@ros.gov.uk<br />
Agency<br />
Land Registry of Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: Gamble, Wally<br />
Email: Wally.Gamble@LRNI.gov.uk<br />
Agency<br />
Ordnance Survey (for England, Wales and Scotland)<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: Clare Hadley<br />
Email: Clare.Hadley@ordnancesurvey.co.uk<br />
Agency<br />
Ordnance Survey for Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tact: Trevor Steens<strong>on</strong><br />
Email: trevor.steens<strong>on</strong>@osni.gov.uk