The Government announced on 15 December 2011 that it would undertake a review of the Treasure Valuation Committee and DCMS is now inviting views from stakeholders to contribute to the review, with the deadline for responses at 10am on Monday 13th February.
The Treasure Valuation Committee is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by DCMS. Its function is to provide independent advice to Government on the fair market value of declared Treasure finds which museums wish to acquire from the Crown. The Committee is made up of people with expertise on a range of antiquities, people with expertise on museums and their collections and an individual who is knowledgeable about the interests of finders. It is supported by the Treasure Team at the British Museum, which administers a range of functions relating to the Treasure Act 1996.
The review is part of the Government’s commitment to conduct triennial reviews of its NDPBs. It will be led by Paul Blaker, Head of Treasure at DCMS, and it will be supported by a Review Group including a number of key stakeholders with a direct interest in the treasure valuation process:
- Steve Critchley (National Council for Metal Detecting)
- Helen Shipsey (Country Land and Business Association)
- Jonathan Williams (Department of Prehistory and Europe, British Museum)
The aim of the first stage of the review is to provide evidence on the continuing need for the Committee in term of its functions and form.
Stakeholders are invited to respond to the following questions:
- Do the key functions of the Treasure Valuation Committee continue to be appropriate in terms of delivering the Government’s objectives?
- If so, are these functions most effectively and cost-efficiently provided at arm’s length from Government and, more specifically, through an advisory NDPB?
- Is the current location of the body (with support provided by the Treasure Team at the British Museum) the most appropriate?
If it is agreed that the Treasure Valuation Committee should continue to exist, the review will then consider whether it operates in accordance with the recognised principles of corporate governance by being open, transparent and accountable. We expect that the review will be completed by April this year. Its findings will be presented to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and to Parliament.
How to respond
Open date: 9 January 2012
Closing date: 10am, 13 February 2012
Please send your comments or if you have any queries to:?paul.blaker@culture.gsi.gov.uk
or by post:
Paul Blaker?Culture Team?DCMS?2–4 Cockspur Street?London SW1Y 5DH
Responses should arrive no later than 10am on Monday 13 February.
DCMS Consultations: LINK
