CAAV gets Brexit-ready with new Presidential team

(L-R David Brooks, James Dick & Geoff Coster)

The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers invested its first ever Scottish President last week, supported by two deputies ready to take on the challenges of the future.

James Dick, a sole practitioner near Aberdeen who was previously President of the Scottish Agricultural Arbiters and Valuers’ Association, stepped up to the head post after two years supporting his predecessors, Nick Millard and Charles Meynell.

“It’s a great honour and I look forward to the challenges that will be presented,” he said at last week’s Annual General Meeting near Bristol. “We face continuing uncertainty on so many fronts, it’s difficult to contemplate what will change next. We, as an organisation, have to be prepared for that uncertainty, and react swiftly and positively to produce solid, objective information and analysis as events unfold.”

The Association, which represents over 2,800 professional members across a range of agricultural and rural professional work, invested Geoff Coster as Senior Vice President after one year in the junior role. A Senior Agricultural Valuation Specialist at the Valuation Office Agency, Mr Coster is the first professional from the public sector to join the presidential team in the CAAV’s 107-year existence.

“As CAAV members act for every side of rural valuation – whether landlord, tenant, utility company or HMRC – it’s nice that I can provide a bridge between the public and private sector,” said Mr Coster. “I’m also very keen on the maintenance of professional standards: Fellows of the CAAV provide a service that is second to none.”

Land agent David Brooks, a Partner at Stanfords, Colchester, completes the team as Junior Vice President. “My period of tenure is likely to be one of the most interesting periods the sector has experienced for a long time,” he said. “At the CAAV we are in a unique position to take the lead in providing sensible, structured and realistic advice from the rounded and independent perspective our clients need. It’s likely we’ll need to evolve our expertise, and I’m looking forward to taking the CAAV forward to pre-eminence in all rural matters.”

For more information visit www.caav.org.uk.