 The jobs will be transferred to Inverness |
Taxpayers could face a �30m bill to relocate Scottish Natural Heritage's headquarters, the quango has predicted. Leaked documents also reveal that the agency's board is "unconvinced" about the switch from Edinburgh to Inverness - and may have to be ordered to go ahead with the move.
The letter was sent to the Scottish Executive by SNH chairman John Markland.
He said that the SNH board "remains unconvinced" about the switch.
Dr Markland also suggested that the board will "seek ministerial direction" to go ahead.
The cost of the move is among the reasons why SNH does not want to move to Inverness.
Clearer guidance
The agency said its "best estimate" of the final bill is about �30m, although it stressed that this figure should be "treated with care".
"It has been very difficult to generate these costs without making some significant assumptions, but without clearer guidance this was inevitable," Dr Markland wrote.
SNH is demanding that ministers give a "clear" commitment to foot the bill, and give a "yes or no" on whether there will be a need for compulsory redundancies.
Dr Markland's letter also said the board is "very disappointed" that the executive has not already answered these points.
The cost estimates were described as "horrendous" by Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Pringle, whose Edinburgh South constituency houses the organisation's current base.
"This adds to the idea that the executive has made the wrong decision," he said.
The Scottish Executive announced in March that it planned to transfer up to 270 SNH jobs from Edinburgh to Inverness by 2005.
The relocation was part of a programme of decentralising government posts to spread economic benefits around the country.
Conservation issues
However, the decision angered staff and was condemned by unions as unworkable and a waste of taxpayers' money.
SNH, which is responsible for conservation and environment issues, employs 270 people at two sites in Edinburgh.
The organisation employs 864 people in total, including part-time and temporary staff.
The decision has been welcomed in the Highlands as an economic boost.
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This adds to the idea that the executive has made the wrong decision 
