English Heritage has just opened an email-based discussion, accessible to all on request, to examine the purpose of benchmarks and audits for Historic Environment Records (HERs) and how they relate to each other, and IHBC members especially are invited to participate and help shape their future by joining the ‘HER Forum’ discussion, detailed below, which closes on 15 November.
Sarah Reilly of English Heritage writes:
English Heritage has just opened a discussion on HER Forum to examine the purpose of HER benchmarks and audits and how they relate to each other. You are invited to participate and influence the development of Historic Environment Records.
You do not need to be a member of the HER Forum to view the discussion but you will need a sign in to participate. Practical information on how to join in is provided on the Forum but feel free to contact Sarah MacLean for help with this
sarah.maclean@english-heritage.org.uk.
The discussion will close at 5pm on Friday 15th November and we will post regular summaries of the main points and issues raised throughout. This is an invitation to participate at anytime between 28th October and 15th November.
The following may help to generate some thoughts ahead of the start of the discussion:
Background to HERs
Audits have their origins in a review of local and national sites and monument records undertaken by the RCHME in 1993. This review led to a pilot study in 1993/4 and the first SMR data audit specification appeared the following year (1995). From these early days the audit specifications have been revised to keep pace with the evolution from SMRs into HERs, with the latest version appearing in 2013.
Benchmarks come from a completely different background, initially developed in 1999/2000 as a historic environment indicator for the then current Best Value Local Authority performance regime. When Best Value was changed into the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) framework for local authorities the benchmarks were revised (in 2002) and put forward once again for inclusion. It is this version which has been used within the HER community despite never being formally published.
The different origin for the audits and benchmarks has led to a considerable degree of overlap in the measures, and circularity in the references to one another.
Current Situation
It is clear that there is a need to have a fundamental look at the purpose of any future incarnations of audits and benchmarks and how they relate one to another and then to HERs.
The discussion will mainly focus on (but not be limited to) the following themes:
- Current use of the benchmarks and for what purposes
- Development of the benchmarks going forward
- The inter-relationship between benchmarks and the HER audit process
Research details
The discussion is being organised as part of National Heritage Protection Plan (NHPP) Activity 5C1: Enhancing the capabilities of Historic Environment Records. More information on 5C1 and the NHPP can be found at: LINK
As background to the discussion you will find the 2002 Benchmark report and current HER Audit Specification in a folder entitled Benchmark and Audits Discussion 2013 in the HER Forum file area, see: LINK
The discussion will be summarised and this will be taken into consideration by ALGAO and English Heritage when planning the next steps for the Benchmarks and Audit programme.
We hope that you will enjoy the discussion.
If you have any other queries about the background to the discussion please contact Sarah Reilly sarah.reilly@english-heritage.org.uk
The HER Forum: LINK
The start of the discussion: LINK
