Heritage Update 203
Friday 25 february 2011The Heritage Alliance is the largest alliance of heritage interests inthe UK, representing 88 member organisations, with the aim of promoting the central role of thenon-Government movement in the heritage sector.Heritage Update is our voice; to, and for, the sector. It is estimated that Update reaches approximately 12,000 mailboxes in the UK and internationally; with readers as far afield as Abu Dhabi, Antarctica, Istanbul and California. For more information visit
CONTENTS
HEADLINES
Localism Bill: Alliance statement of support for Amendment 149
The Heritage Alliance appoints Parliamentary liaison team
Government yew-turn on Public Forest Estate proposals
Select Committee: New Inquiry on Big Society
Fees for heritage consents?
HAVE YOUR SAY: CONSULTATION ROUND UP
NEWS
CABE and Design Council merger: it’s official
Crime against heritage assets tackled in major new collaboration
Historic Environment (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
Big Society gets a pasting
Extra £9m from HLF ensures maintenance of Repair Grants for POWs scheme funding
CLG Select Committee calls for submissions to its Regeneration Inquiry
English Heritage launches consultation on draft Local Listing guidance
New figures: private investment in culture fell by 3% in 2009-10
ALSO THIS FORTNIGHT…
How will Localism work in the countryside? Offer your thoughts to the Minister online
Have your say on ICON’s strategy for heritage skills
Major scale-back of Vetting & Barring Scheme announced
Princess Royal opens Centre for Textile Conservation and Technical ArtHistory
Safeguarding Archaeological Information: new guidance published
Would you like to take part in CH4’s Country House Rescue?
EVENTS
SITUATIONS VACANT
NOTES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
HEADLINES
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Localism Bill: Alliance statement of support for Amendment 149
The Heritage Alliance is actively briefing MPs and peers on the Localism Bill as it progresses through Parliament. In its evidence to the Public Bill Committee, reported more fully in Update 202, the Alliance drew attention in particular to the possible weakening of heritage protection through paragraphs 22-24 of Schedule 12.
The Alliance has now submitted a Statement of Support regarding Amendment 149, endorsed by 19 of its leading member organisations, to all the backbench MPs on the Committee. This Amendment, tabled by Labour MPs Jack Dromey, Alison Seabeck and Barbara Keeley, would leave out paras 22 -24 of Schedule 12. The Alliance comments: “This amendment will ensure neighbourhood forums and parish/town councils will consider the impact on the setting of listed buildings and the character of conservation areas when they decide what does and does not need planning permission in their areas. This amendment will ensure that the more than local significance of these important parts of our heritage cannot be overlooked.”
Members of the Joint Committee of National Amenity Societies, the Alliance’s Spatial Planning Advocacy Group and the Historic Environment Forum are lobbying their MPs in support of this amendment. All are invited to broaden support for this amendment by writing to their MPs. Click here to read the Statement of Support in full. Back
The Heritage Alliance appoints Parliamentary liaison team
The Alliance is delighted to announce that Henry Russell has been appointed as our new Parliamentary Liaison Officer. Henry, who represents the RICS Conservation Forum on our Spatial Planning Advocacy Group (SPAG), is Course Director for the postgraduate course in Conservation of the Historic Environment at the College of Estate Management, Reading. Among other heritage commitments he is also Chairman of Gloucester Diocesan Advisory Committee.
Henry’s work will be complemented with additional support from Dr Sarah McCarthy. Sarah is Secretary of the Council for British Archaeology London and is a freelance consultant with a PhD in Public Archaeology.
Henry and Sarah are already on the case. They will bring Alliance concerns over the Localism Bill to the attention of parliamentarians and others as the Bill progresses towards Royal Assent. They will also be co-ordinating the Alliance’s response on the National Planning Policy Framework. They will ensure that Alliance members and Update readers are kept up-to-date on developments in both areas, and will foster capacity in the voluntary heritage movement to engage fully - including at local and constituency level.Back
Government yew-turn on PublicForest Estate proposals
The Government has abandoned its plans to sell off the nation’s forests, following the outpouring of public opposition to the proposals.
In a statement before the House of Commons on 17 February the Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman conceded that the Government had “got it wrong”. She confirmed that the consultation would be shelved, that the Government would remove the controversial clauses from the Public Bodies Bill that would have given the Secretary of State the power to sell off all of England’s forests; and that an independent panel would be established to consider the future of forestry in England.
DEFRA states that the panel of experts will be established from environment and access organisations, along with the forestry industry, to examine forestry policy in England. The panel will report by the autumn on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England, on the role of the Forestry Commission and on the role of the Public Forest Estate. More on this here. Back
Select Committee launches Inquiry on Big Society
The Public Administration Select Committee has launched an Inquiry into the Big Society, in an effort to determine how to make it a success. The Inquiry will attempt to “identify actions which the government can take to promote the Big Society” in light of the recent deluge of criticism that has been directed at the concept over the last few weeks. Explaining the rationale behind the Inquiry, Bernard Jenkin MP said: “Everyone seems to agree that empowering communities, opening up public services and encouraging social action are good things, but what does this mean that government and local government should be doing? This is a huge challenge against the background of sharp reductions in state spending and state support for the voluntary sector.”
The Committee will call for evidence on around nine particular issues, including
a definition of what the ‘Big Society’ is or should be; the impact and consequences of reductions in public expenditure on the Government’s ambitions to deliver its vision for the Big Society; the role of and capacity for the voluntary and community sector to deliver local public services (including the appropriateness of using charitable income or volunteer labour to subsidise costs); and the implications for central government and for the civil service of policies that require them to promote and to enable, rather than to manage and to direct, public services.
The Committee has published a paper outlining the key questions that those wishing to submit evidence to the Inquiry are invited to consider. Responses should be submitted by 18 Marchby email to Click here for more information. Back
Fees for heritage consents?
The recent consultation from the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) on planning application fees in England sought views on changing the planning application fees regime, which would decentralise responsibility for setting fees to local planning authorities. It did not, however, invite views on whether charges for heritage consents should be introduced.
Now eight local authorities led by Westminster City Council (including Stratford-upon-Avon, York, Kensington and Chelsea, Birmingham, Camden, Wiltshire and Newcastle councils) have written to Greg Clark, Minister for Local Government, urging him to allow them to recover their costs on the basis that it will secure knowledgeable and experienced conservation staff in local authorities to deal with the applications - Listed Building Consent, Conservation Area Consent and Tree Preservation Orders.
Whilst this argument may seem persuasive at a time when local authorities are required to make significant savings, The Heritage Alliance has written to the Minister arguing that the responsibility on owners for protecting our heritage for national benefit, conferred through the heritage protection regime, should not be made more onerous by additional financial burdens. Given that the Government had not indicated such a radical change in the recent consultation, The Alliance strongly urged a separate consultation on this matter if the Government should be minded to reverse its previously-held position.Back
HAVE YOUR SAY: CONSULTATION ROUND UP
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February
The National Planning Policy Framework. A DCLG consultation. Planning Minister Greg Clark has initiated a review of planning policy, designed to consolidate policy statements, circulars and guidance documents into a single consolidated National Planning Policy Framework. Suggestions are invited to Deadline: 28 February.
March
The Giving Green Paper.A Cabinet Office consultation.The Giving Green Paper sets out the Government’s initial ideas for building a stronger culture of giving time and money to start a national debate on our society’s attitude to giving.Deadline: 9 March.
Regeneration Inquiry. A Communities and Local Government Select Committee consultation. Deadline 18 March.
National Conservation Education and Skills Strategy. An Institute of Conservation (ICON) draft strategy, our for consultation. Deadline: 31 March.
April
National Curriculum Review: Call for Evidence. A Department for Education consultation. The Government has announced a review of the primary and secondary National Curriculum in England. It wants to hear your opinionsand evidence in order to start a debate about what is taught in our schools. This Call for Evidence is a way to input into the discussion at this early stage in the process. Deadline: 14 April.
Office for National Statistics: national wellbeing consultation.The Prime Minister has asked for the nation's wellbeing to be measured for the Government from next April. He said the findings "will open up debate about what really matters not just in government but amongst people who influence our lives" and he included people "who shape the culture we enjoy" in this group. The ONS has launched a public consultation which asks respondents to rate "personal and cultural activities" alongside other factors in determining a broad national measure of wellbeing. Deadline: 15 April.
Shaping The Future: Consultation on the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Strategic Framework 2013-2019 HLF is inviting feedback on its strategic framework for 2013-2019. It wants to hear views on what it should continue doing, what it may need to do differently and what new initiatives could have the greatest impact. Deadline 26 April.
May
Community Right to Buy.This consultation seeks views on provisions in the Localism Bill to assist community organisations that wish to purchase assets of community value. The consultation seeks views on how the scheme should be delivered and what type of support and guidance should be provided. Deadline: 3 May.
Good Practice Guide for Local Listing. An English Heritage consultation seeking views on the draft guidance for local listing. The guide is intended to encourage a transparent and consistent approach to the process of creating and managing a local list. Deadline: 13 May.
EU consultation on the future of VAT.An opportunity has arisen to express concern about the way that VAT is levied on the costof maintenance and repairs to historic buildings (but not on replacement or new builds) in response to the European Commission Green Paper: ‘Towards a simpler, more robust andefficient VAT system’. The aim of the consultation is to launch a debate on the structure ofthe current VAT system, ways to make it more coherent within a single market and toreduce the cost of compliance. Deadline: 31 May.
NEWS
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CABE and Design Council merger: it’s official
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment’s (CABE) merger with the Design Council has been confirmed, following an agreement reached by the two bodies and the Government.
From 1 April the combined organisation will provide a “one stop shop” for design support, including functions such as design review, mentoring and advice.A new governance structure will also be put in place to help the organisation deliver its broader remit. Once staff consultations are concluded, the new roles will be announced.The body will be funded from a number of sources, including the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) which will provide annual funding of around £3.5 million.
Housing and Local Government Minister Grant Shapps said: “This merger, which has the support of leading experts in the field, will not only mean the excellent work the commission has already undertaken can continue, but will also ensure that every taxpayer’s pound spent on improving design is spent wisely and efficiently.” More information on this here.
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Crime against heritage assets tackled in major new collaboration
On 11 February English Heritage announced details of a new Heritage Crime Initiative to tackle criminal acts against heritage assets, such as vandalism, theft and arson.
The Initiative is led by a Strategic Tasking and Coordination Group consisting of English Heritage, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and participating local authorities. The group is chaired by Chief Constable Richard Crompton, ACPO's national lead on heritage crime. As part of the Initiative, the Alliance to Reduce Crime Against Heritage (ARCH) - a coalition of more than 40 organisations (including many members of The Heritage Alliance) – met for the first time on 11 February to discuss the voluntary national network that will be used to take forward heritage crime prevention initiatives and galvanise local action.
Local authorities, enforcement bodies, professional groups, local amenity societies, neighbourhood watches & residents’ associationswill all be encouraged to join in the coordinated effort in their area.Local communities will be urged to understand the heritage assets in their area that may be at risk of irreversible damage from crime and to report suspicious behaviour to their neighbourhood policing teams. The profile and accountability of heritage crimes among police officers will also increase - for the first time there will be a national lead (in ACPO) on heritage crimes and there will also be a dedicated portfolio holder in many police forces across the country.
In the next 12 months ARCH will focus on the prevention and detection of four broad types of heritage crime:
- Damage caused to the historic environment - this refers to physical damage (as a result of fire, graffiti, vandalism and damage caused by cars, motorcycles and other means)
- Unlawful excavation and removal of articles from the historic environment - this refers to theft from scheduled monuments or protected wrecks and includes illegal metal detecting
- Architectural theft - this refers to theft of items from historic buildings and structures like stone walls, vintage street signs and pavements. In recent years a new trend has emerged in the theft of lead and metal from roofs and guttering
- Unlawful alteration and demolition of listed buildings.
Historic Environment (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
The Historic Environment (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, which will help harmonise existing legislation protecting historic buildings and monuments, received the support of the Scottish Parliament on 20 January.
This technical amending Bill has been welcomed across the sector in Scotland, with support from bodies such as Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS - the Scottish counterpart to The Heritage Alliance) and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC – a member of The Alliance). However, the tight remit of the Bill has meant that significant outstanding challenges remain. The strategic point is that much of Scotland’s historic environment will not be affected by this legislation. In addition, concerns remain over the availability of information and expert advice on the historic environment at local level. BEFS has stated that “while this Bill is a very important step and a proportionate approach in the current climate, BEFS looks forward to future debate on the legislation governing Scotland’s historic places”.