ALGAO is aware of what is happening and is making representation at local, regional and national levels whenever examples are brought to its attention. O an aware that it is often the case that people and posts under threat are banned from contacting external organisations who might lobby, which does make life difficult for all of us. We have been party to the letter sent by The Archaeology Forum (TAF) to Northants CC re their treatment of their own service - a response has finally been received that will be discussed and actioned at ALGAO:England Exec next Thursday. I am seeking a meeting with Simon Thurley (EH) to discuss a range of issues following the creation of ALGAO:UK, one of which is local authority historic environment provision. We have also raised this, both through TAF and through ALGAO channels, with Baroness Andrews at DCLG and with DCMS, in the context of Heritage Protection Reform, making the case that, the way things are going, there won't be any provision to deliver the revised system!
Without in anyway wishing to appear as an apologist for local government senior management, we have to bear in mind that local government as a whole is looking to absorb significant cuts in its overall budgets and, as a discretionary provision, we are bound to be in the firing line - hence our support for the statutory status that HPR might bring for HERs. In our review here at the Peak District, we were warned at the outset that previous experience elsewhere suggested a third would be downgraded, a third stay the same and a third be up-graded. In the event, a few went down, many stayed the same and a few went up. Dissatisfaction was prevalent.
Will try and keep people up to speed with progress but remember that ALGAO can't pursue issues if we don't know about them, so let me or Stewart Bryant, Louise Austen or John Lawson (the Chairs of the national ALGAOs) know if you can if there are threats to your service or your status and we will see what we can do.
Ken
Ken Smith
Chair
Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers:United Kingdom (ALGAO:UK)
c/o Peak District National Park Authority
Aldern House
Baslow Road
Bakewell
Derbyshire DE45 1AE
tel: 01629 816206
fax: 01629 826310
mob: 07870 986963
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of BAJRWebsite.ORG
Sent: 01 March 2007 08:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Job Evaluation
Speaking with my BAJR head on, I am sadly aware of a general attempt by
Local Govt as a whole (surely they can't come up with the idea
simultaneously by coincidence) that Posts in Archives, Museums, Archaeology
and Heritage related posts should all either move down a notch (or two)
and/or are no longer required for the smooth running of government? A
gentle drip drip erosion of both service and rpersonel will in the end
require either robust and concerted defence OR better start training for the
construction industry.
Does ALGAO have a stance on this? should they be approached to find
whether they do? and if yes... what is it? and if no... why not?
Archaeology at LGA level is underpinned by the HER - and HLC for that
matter ... are we looking at a development/construction hungry govt.
looking to remove any potential bocks to the construction of houses. or am
I paranoid?
David Connolly
British Archaeological Jobs Resource
BAJR - www.bajr.org
Traprain House
Luggate Burn
Whittingehame
East Lothian
EH41 4QA
T: 01620 861643
M 0787 6528 498
E [log in to unmask]
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