Historic Scotland (HS) has responded to submissions by the IHBC and others on the joint consultation on the Scottish Government’s Historic Environment Strategy for Scotland and The Merger of Historic Scotland (HS) and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS).
Andrew Fleming of Historic Scotland writes:
Thank you for your response to the recent joint consultation on the Historic Environment Strategy for Scotland and the Merger of HS and RCAHMS which closed on 31 July. This letter is to give you an update on progress prior to the Government’s formal response.
The Scottish Government’s response to the consultation will be published in early November, along with the consultation analysis report prepared independently. The final Historic Environment Strategy is due for publication in early 2014. We expect this to coincide with the proposed entry of the Merger Bill into the Parliamentary process.
It is very welcome that the majority of respondents strongly support the need for a Historic Environment Strategy for Scotland, the vision, its overarching aims and strategic priorities more generally. The majority of comments on the merger express support for the principles of simplification and maintenance of existing functions. There is, of course, debate around the detail of both and all responses are currently being reviewed in depth to ensure that any major issues are addressed. We will also need to work together to ensure success for the delivery of the Strategy and supporting the creation of the new body. I look forward to working with you over the coming months.
As a key stakeholder in the process, we would like to take the opportunity to discuss the following points you have raised, in advance of issuing the Scottish Government response.
Definition
The definition was developed collaboratively from across the historic environment sector as part of the review of historic environment policies which was carried out in late 2012. Those involved in that process were keen to ensure that the definition addressed the broad range of meanings and values of the historic environment and how people respond to it. They were aware, for example, that the historic environment is a combination of physical things (tangible) and those aspects we cannot see – associations, stories, traditions and concepts (intangible). The intangible aspects of our historic environment play a huge role in contributing to our sense of place – particularly in relation to certain historic sites such as battlefields or monuments associated with particular individuals and events.
Those involved in the process certainly acknowledged the complexities inherent in the definition, but it nonetheless felt important to take it beyond ‘a list of things’ to reflect developments in conservation thinking. It does not seek to replace the need for a solid understanding of the make-up of the various historic environment assets through detailed and robust data. The Strategy will be revised over the coming weeks to reflect comments we received in response to the consultation on the draft document. As part of that process I will revisit the definition to refine and clarify what it captures and why.
Resources
You also asked how this work would be financed. In this context it is important to note that the Strategy is not about imposing new burdens that will require additional financial support. The aim of the Strategy is to provide an enabling framework that will allow the sector to work collaboratively to identify issues and align priorities for action. The Strategy will ensure that in a difficult financial climate we are able to allocate resources confidently knowing that it will lead to positive outcomes and is achieving collective priorities. The strategic framework will also ensure that decisions can be taken in an informed way and at the right level across the whole historic environment sector.
Evidence Base & Measuring Success
The Strategy itself recognises that in order to measure our collective success we need to enhance our evidence base and create a performance framework for our agreed vision and aims. We have already begun to take this work forward and we are in the early stages of setting up a collaborative working group to develop an inclusive and shared framework which will measure our collective progress against the Strategy and ultimately the success of the Strategy itself.
In relation to developing an evidence base we already collect and collate fairly extensive data about the historic environment and how the sector is performing through the Scottish Historic Environment Audit (SHEA) and we can build on this work going forward with key stakeholders, informed by the work of the various workstreams. While the ‘measuring success’ working group and the on-going work of the SHEA will inform the shape of a measuring success framework I believe we should not delay the implementation of Strategic priorities when there are certain actions we can take now.
Collaboration & Collective Ownership
Collaboration is at the heart of the Strategy which recognises that delivering the vision will require the range of bodies, groups and individuals with an interest in, or responsibility for, aspects of the historic environment to work together towards the common purpose, making effective use of the skills, experience and resources of all parties, to realise the values and benefits of our historic environment.
Action Planning
While the Strategy includes a series of high level actions it will be for the various working groups set up under the strategic framework to collaboratively develop a programme of detailed actions in due course. We are already working with a range of colleagues across the sector to draw up a methodology to measure success of the strategy and are also working with Museum and Galleries colleagues to ensure we share good practice and relevant material. This will include enhancement of the evidence base. Alongside this, two collaborative working groups have already been established: one which is considering how best to make full and effective use of our heritage assets to promote Scotland to both domestic and international audiences and thus grow the overall value of heritage tourism in Scotland; the other, which is focusing on how the historic environment can be best managed through existing arrangements within the planning system.
Heritage Management
It is unlikely to be possible to transfer the heritage management function across to the new body without making some changes to the system as the new body will have a separate legal identity to Scottish Ministers, which is not the case at present.
The new body will be required to provide consistent, proportionate and effective regulation, in support of sustainable economic growth. We are committed to better regulation and this Bill will ensure that the regulation of the historic environment is consistent, proportionate and effective, and aligns better with other regulatory regimes, especially planning, thus offering simplification gains.
Responses and key documents in relation to this consultation can be accessed through the Scottish Government web site: LINK
