Updates on key questions to the Deputy Minister, Ken Sakes AM, arising in the National Assembly for Wales’ Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee deliberations on the Historic Environment (HE) Bill have been released.
Questions to the Deputy Minster include:
- How do you respond to concerns from stakeholders that the recovery of expenses for urgent works is not comparable with the recovery of mortgage debts (as the Bill suggests), as the latter is reliant upon a contractual arrangement, which does not apply in the case of urgent works?
- What are your views on the proposals from stakeholders that heritage partnership agreements should be broadened to cover other heritage assets, such as historic landscapes, parks and gardens, battlefields and historic environment record entries?
- Could you provide clarification of the grounds on which it would be reasonable for local authorities to choose not to enter into a heritage partnership agreement? Will decisions not to enter into such an agreement be subject to any form of review/appeal process?
- Will the statutory Historic Environment Records need to be available bilingually and, if so, what assessment he has made of the practical and financial implications of this?
