They were joined by the council’s Housing and Social Wellbeing convener Councillor Tom McEwan as well as local elected members.

The National Trust for Scotland has been responsible for the management of the residential homes, an office and two commercial units in Dunkeld since the 1950s.

The charity stepped in to save the 17th and 18th century buildings, which were at risk of demolition, taking ownership, restoring the buildings and then letting them to tenants, preserving the unique historic character of Dunkeld town centre which is widely regarded as one of the most attractive in Scotland.

The charity and Perth & Kinross Council have been in talks about the properties transferring into the ownership of the council’s Housing Revenue Account.

Around 25 tenants will be affected by the change, which will see them become tenants of the council with a range of associated benefits. The charity and council said they are working hard to make the transition as smooth as possible for residents.

Mr Maxwell said: “The National Trust for Scotland has been proud to play a part in protecting Dunkeld for many decades. This new arrangement will ensure the continued conservation of both these important properties, the historic township and bring benefits for residents too.”

Councillor Laing said: “We have already met with the affected tenants to discuss the benefits the transfer will bring, and we received very positive feedback from them. As a social landlord we will be able to offer them lower levels of rent and access to the wide range of council services enjoyed by all our other tenants, including 24-hour emergency repairs and a programme of investment that will see improvements made to the homes.

“These properties will be a fantastic addition to the stock of affordable social housing for the people of Dunkeld, now and into the future.”

Councillor McEwan added: “The tenants here will enjoy a secure tenancy that they can enjoy for as long as they want to, and regular investment to improve their homes to the highest standard possible.

“I am very happy that we can now offer our services to these new tenants, and also secure the future of these historically significant buildings in Dunkeld. We will continue to work closely with tenants to ensure a smooth transfer.”

Local elected member Bailie Claire McLaren, who also attended, said: “These homes will benefit the people of Dunkeld for generations to come. We will put arrangements in place that will see people with a connection to Dunkeld given priority consideration should a vacant tenancy arise in one of the properties.”