The current joint report on Local Planning Authority (LPA) historic environment services, carried out in part by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), confirms a near 7% drop in conservation staffing over the 15 months to the start of 2010.
The period does not include the more recent cutbacks and planned reductions, which will result in further and faster losses in conservation capacity.
The joint research, carried out by the IHBC and the Association of Local Government Archaeology Officers (ALGAO), and funded by English Heritage, reveals that ‘In the 15 months between the 2008 surveys… and the equivalent surveys in 2010 the numbers of staff who deal with… building and area conservation [fell] by 6.9%.’
The report goes on to say that: ‘… it is likely that the current proposals for reductions in funding for the public sector will result in further staff cuts… [and] any such decline must be seen as additional to previous reductions in staffing, reducing capacity and the provision of historic environment services.’
Jo Evans, IHBC Chair, said: “The loss of conservation staff will have a dramatic impact on front line services of local authority conservation teams. The projected loss of staff working in the historic environment is estimated to be on average 7% a year. Such a reduction in experienced and expert conservation staff from across local government could pose a serious threat to the economic recovery. Huge opportunities to draw in funding – charitable, regeneration, tourism and otherwise could be missed. This is likely to create problems in the future for the most important asset base for a sustainable future, our traditional towns and villages. As the current research pre-dates the more recent impacts of the cutbacks, we can also be sure that the trend is only going to increase, at least in the short-term.”
Mike Brown, Chair, IHBC Policy Committee, said: “The Coalition’s ambitions for the Big Society are threatened by the loss of the Conservation Officer across local government. The Conservation Officer is our most important link between people and the places they value, whether as homes, for work or for quality of life. Conservation Officers help charities draw down funds from bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund; they provide a one-stop shop of advice for owners seeking to care for and improve their traditional homes; and they help ensure that local government observes its wider duties to secure sustainable development, by helping look after the most valuable of our resources, our historic places. Losing the locally informed, front line conservation specialists that help secure our economic, social and cultural infrastructure is the best way to make sure that the Big Society becomes the big confusion.”
Seán O’Reilly, IHBC Director, said: “This research by the IHBC confirms that many local authorities still don’t appreciate how Conservation Officers provide locally informed project development expertise, quality assurance and skilled professional support for statutory duties across the front line of the planning service. The ramifications of these job losses for our historic towns, villages and cities are huge. The IHBC is currently preparing advice explaining to local authorities how this reduction in conservation expertise can mean the loss of key opportunities for inward investment, increased risk of public dissatisfaction, complaints to the ombudsman and even action in law where statutory duties are not being met. Local people care about their historic places and expect councils to properly resource their care, protection and enhancement. If the councils fail in these duties, the Big Society will take on a whole new meaning.”
The joint IHBC-ALGAO-EH ‘Second Report on Local Authority Staff Resources’ may be Downloaded HERE
See also HELM:LINK
