Shirley provides accounts and tax advice to private individuals, landed estates and commercial organisations. She has a diverse portfolio of clients spanning most areas of the Highland economy, including renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, land management, forestry, construction and sport.
Shirley joined Saffery in 1992 and was made partner in April 2006.
Over the past 10+ years Shirley has specialised in the renewable energy sector, advising on energy schemes ranging from small single turbine projects to some of the largest wind farm and hydro developments in the Highlands. Her energy-related work includes dealing with land leases, joint ventures with developers, in-house construction by land owners, and development partnerships, ranging from 15Kw to 114MW, using wind, hydro, solar and biomass technologies.
Shirley presents on capital gains tax and inheritance tax planning and reliefs, developments in personal and business taxes and renewable energy issues at seminars run in-house and by other professional firms.
Shirley is also a regular contributor to both in-house and external publications, including local and national newspapers, on topics including renewable energy, taxation issues relating to agriculture and estate management and legislative changes impacting on businesses.
Key experience
- Restructuring of ownership of land identified for renewable energy developments to significantly improve the inheritance tax exposure risks. Working in conjunction with legal advisers to identify operating structures that are advantageous to clients whilst still meeting the developer’s requirements,
- Advising neighbouring clients to major wind farm developments on their respective interests in the project and assisting in making use of tax reliefs, allowances and exemptions to gain tax efficiencies for all parties,
- Succession planning for Highland estates involving ‘whole family reviews’. Identifying and implementing strategies to minimise the immediate and longer-term tax liabilities arising from inter-family and trust asset transfers to move ownership down generations.
Interests
Shirley is a farmers’ daughter and has a keen interest in all matters rural. She enjoys mountain biking, hill walking and skiing with her two sons.
She enjoys travelling the world to visit new, mainly rural, destinations but is just as happy to holiday close to home, exploring mainland Scotland and the islands.