Reviews
What is a review?
The review process is used when an applicant, or their agent, is not content with the approval decision relating to a Forestry Grant Scheme application or an associated Small Woodlands Loan Scheme application. It may also occur where the contract offered does not include all of the management options or capital items that were originally applied for or when a beneficiary’s request for a contract variation is refused.
A complaint against the manner in which the assessment of the application has been handled should be considered through the appropriate complaints process.
If you are not satisfied with our decision to refuse, withhold, reduce or recover a payment associated with your Forestry Grant Scheme contract, you may ask for a formal review under the Rural Payments Appeals procedure.
Requesting a review
Firstly we would ask you to contact your local Scottish Forestry Conservator (the address is provided in the decision letter or the contract offer) to raise your concerns as the majority of decisions can be settled at this stage.
However, if you are still not satisfied with our decision, you may wish to ask us to formally review our decision. When reviewing a case, we can only consider the information that was originally submitted.
To request a review you must submit a written request to the Head of Operational Delivery either directly to their email address or to Scottish.Forestry@forestry.gov.scot and within the timescale provided in the decision letter. Please quote your FGS case reference number in all correspondence.
The review request will be considered by an approving senior officer who was not involved in the original decision on the case. We aim to respond in writing within 28 days with a decision. This response will either confirm, amend or alter our original decision and explain what the implications of the new decision will be.