Perhaps it might have helped had The Coal Authority bothered to consult with
NAMHO and not simply just ask for a fast tun around on the info

Mike
NAMHO Chair


----- Original Message -----
From: "Adam Green" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 2:23 PM
Subject: The Coal Authority - Access to Britain's Mining Heritage


> I'd like to respond to members' concerns on the subject of the Coal
> Authority's scoping study  'Access to Britain's Mining Heritage'.
>
> May I begin by emphasizing that the Authority does *not* want to :
>
> (1)     collect any records or change their ownership or custody, whether
> the documents are in public or private hands
> (2)     duplicate or undermine any existing efforts by others
> (3)     publish any information about anyone's holdings without their
> permission.
>
> The Authority *does* want to:
>
> (1)     promote some form of general access point, using the internet, to
> the widest possible range of source materials for the mining of coal (and
> perhaps other minerals) across the United Kingdom.
> (2)     work in partnership with the widest possible range of players to
> make this happen
>
> This is a big ambition that would take many years to achieve.  Before
> anything can happen the Authority needs to get a realistic idea of:
>
> (1)     how much there is
> (2)     in how many places
> (3)     and how much is already available
>
> The scoping study is just that  - an attempt to measure the challenge,
> establish what has already been done, and come up with ideas on what to do
> next.  It is clear that any useful outcome will depend on working
> co-operatively in voluntary partnership with a wide range of organisations
> and individuals.
>
> To avoid misunderstanding, may I stress that:
>
> (1)     the scoping survey is designed to produce a rough summary for
> internal use to enable the Authority to discover how much is going on and
> what still needs to be done.  Nothing from the survey will be published in
> any form without the express permission of the contributors.  (In practice
> published work is likely to come from subsequent developments.)
>
> (2)     we appreciate that the deadline is very short. (We now have a
short
> extension until  11 April).  We are however, looking for intelligent
> estimates and not for final polished figures, and we hope that most
> contributors can fairly easily give us some guesstimates of the quantities
> involved.
>
> (3)     we have not deliberately excluded anyone.  We have been surprised
> by the large range of potential partners and inevitably there will be some
> we have not yet identified.  If this survey process encourages others to
> come forward so much the better.  If the study does not include the full
> number of possible partners it should be enough to get the overall
> quantities roughly right.
>
> (4)     there is no obligation on anyone to take part, and those who do
> respond to the survey are under no obligation to take any further part in
> any programme that follows.  We hope most of you will, but further
> developments will follow consultation with all potential partners on how
> their interests and the Authority's vision of a non-exclusive single point
> of access to mining information can work together.
>
> The Authority believes that it can make a helpful contribution to making
> mining heritage information more widely and easily available, but fully
> recognises that there may be some who choose not to take part.  It will
> fully respect any owner or custodian concerns on security and their
consent
> will always be needed for the release of information to the public.
>
> I believe that NAMHO members have a lot to gain as potential users of a
> successful project of this kind; I also believe they have a lot to
contribute.
>
> We are sure that there are many plans and activities that we have not yet
> heard about, and we look forward to learning more through this preliminary

> survey.  If you feel you have something to offer but have not received a
> questionnaire, do please let us know at [log in to unmask]  If you
> have concerns about any aspect of the project, please use the same
address.
>
>
>
> Adam Green
> Consultant, Access to Britain's Mining Heritage
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> Adam Green
> [log in to unmask]
>
>