The annual touring Council and linked conference of the IHBC on 22-23 September will be in Manchester, as the IHBC’s North West (NW) Branch leads in arranging a reception and, on 23 September, its respected annual Branch conference, themed around Localism.
IHBC Chair Jo Evans said: ‘Each September the IHBC’s council visits a different centre across the UK, working with our local Branches to our raise profile, build capacity across our members, and shape policy about the places we all care about!’
‘This year we’ll visit Manchester, with our council meeting followed by a major reception in the evening with key local figures and dignitaries as guests. Crucially, our host, the North West Branch, has scheduled its celebrated annual conference to tie in with this, maximising the impact of this investment in our local membership.’
‘This is a great opportunity for the IHBC to show what we can achieve by supporting local energy and knowledge with national resources and capacity.’
The NW Branch conference for 2011 takes Localism as its theme. IHBC North West Branch Chair Paul Hartley highlighted its current relevance, saying:
‘Combined with public expenditure cuts and the Government’s vision for the ‘Big Society’, the movement towards localism represents the largest potential shake-up of the planning system for many years. So far the focus of the heritage sector has been to counter perceived threats to historic buildings by allowing local planning procedures to override national cultural priorities. This conference will look beyond current conflicts, and explore the ways in which local initiatives might unlock the potential for the historic environment to play a greater role in shaping the future of towns and villages.’
Details of the conference booking may be downloaded HERE
