BEFS NEWS

The Scottish Government are now looking to pilot 3-4 Simplified Planning Zones (SPZ) for housing in response to the Planning Review and the prospectus is now available. SPZs offer a streamlined and simplified planning process but cannot include development, which would require an Environmental Assessment, be within conservation areas, National Scenic Areas, SSSIs or approved green belts.

A report summarising the discussions held by the six planning review working groups on 12 and 13 September 2016, has now been published.

The second annual Scottish Heritage Angel Awards last night saw a project to collect and record bricks, the restoration of a WWI memorial in Orkney, and a television channel run by young people to highlight an archaeological dig, amongst the winners. You can read more about who scooped the prizes here.

Dig It! 2017 is looking for events across Scotland for their printed programme (running from January to December 2017), with the deadline set as Friday 4 November 2016. They have a very broad definition of ‘archaeology’, and events can include anything from cookery courses to theatre performances. If anyone would like more information, they should contact info@digit2017.com.

Dr Loyd Grossman CBE, NADFAS President and Heritage Alliance Chairman, is giving a lecture on culture and heritage in November at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Tickets are still available.

Chelsea Charles, Communications Manager Scotland’s Themed Years, VisitScotland Events Directorate, shares some top tips on how to get involved in Scotland’s 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology in BEFS latest blog.

CONSULTATIONS

Consultation on Transposition of Environmental Impact Assessment Directive EU2014/52
Closes on 31 October 2016.

Consultation on the Relaxation of Planning Controls for Digital Communications Infrastructure
Closes on 4 November 2016.

PUBLICATIONS

Planning Review Working Groups Workshop
Report arising from the Planning Review Working Groups workshop in September 2016.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASES

Scottish Land Commission (SG 14/10/16)
Key land reform body to bring around 20 new jobs to Inverness. The Scottish Land Commission, including five Land Commissioners, the Tenant Farming Commissioner and support staff, will be based in Inverness, Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham will announce. Hilary Pearce has also been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer and will take up her position shortly. She will work to establish and support the work of the Commission until summer 2017.

Funding for housing in Govanhill (SG 12/10/16)
More homes in Govanhill will be improved after a further £2.5m in funding was granted to continue a successful pilot project. Within its first year the South-West Govanhill Property Acquisition and Repair Programme has already exceeded its two year target of bringing 80 houses into the social rented sector – they have recently purchased their 100th house.This enables Govanhill Housing Association (GHHA) to take more control of the houses and make necessary improvements.

World class bridge breaks world record (SG 11/10/16)
The Queensferry Crossing’s centre tower deck has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest freestanding balanced cantilever in the world. The bridge’s central deck is now complete but still free standing and this 644 metre cantilever itself won’t last long. Soon, it will be connected to the flanking towers and viaducts to form the final superstructure.

NEWS RELEASES

Battle for Britain’s best high street (DCLG 18/10/16)
The Great British High Street competition has today (18 October 2016) revealed the nation’s best high streets. Twenty-seven finalists now have the chance to impress an expert judging panel and battle it out in a public vote to be crowned Britain’s best.

Call for papers: 4th Heritage Forum of Central Europe (ICON 18/10/16)
The Heritage Forum of Central Europe is a biennial event organised by the International Cultural Centre in Kraków. The fourth edition of the Heritage Forum will be held on 1st-3rd June 2017 and will analyse the relationship between heritage and society. What is society’s attitude to heritage and its meaningful but often difficult past? How does heritage shape communities? Who owns heritage and why? What are the social functions of heritage? What do we want to remember and what do we often forget? These are just some of the questions that the Forum wishes to address.

5 new Case Studies focusing on materials (A&DS 17/10/16)
Material Considerations: A Library of Sustainable Building Materials presents 5 new case studies which showcase a variety of sustainable materials.

Help Protect England’s Heritage (English Heritage 17/10/16)
At English Heritage conserving our sites for the future is one of our biggest responsibilities. Since we became a charity in 2015 we’ve been working hard to look after the 400 historic places and 500,000 objects in our care – but we need your help. We’ve therefore launched our Conservation Appeal to help support this vital work and safeguard our historic places for future generations.

Have Your Say: A&DS Corporate Strategy 2017-2020 – Consultation (A&DS 16/10/16)
Well-designed buildings and places add to people’s wellbeing and support a sustainable future for our country. They make best use of our finite resources, offer choice and opportunity and provide a sense of identity to our communities. As Scotland’s design champion, our purpose is to promote the value of good architecture and sustainable places. We are inviting comments from individuals, groups and organisations. Please look through the A&DS Corporate Strategy Consultation Document  – throughout the document there are sections highlighted, reflecting the questions asked in the online consultation. We would like to receive your submissions by 31st October 2016.

A Place to Explore your Built Heritage – New Website from the Engine Shed (Engine Shed 10/16)
Our built heritage tells countless stories: of the people who built them, lived in them and used them. We passionately believe our built heritage should be explored, understood and looked after to ensure they last for future generations. On our website you will find everything from advice on how to look after traditional buildings to details of upcoming events being planned by the Engine Shed team.

Do you have an idea for improving an aspect of your town? (STP 14/10/16)
Enter your idea into the Future Town Design Competition by 22nd October, and your entry will get featured by the Scotsman online and listed on the Scotland’s Towns Partnership website, where the public can vote for the winning entry. Shortlisted entries will also be displayed at Scotland’s Towns Conference, where 200 key town practitioners can view the idea for your town. The winning idea, decided by a public online vote, will be featured in the Scotsman newspaper, across the National Towns Portal throughout the year and at the Cross Party Group for Towns and Town Centres where you’ll have the opportunity to present your design to the group.

Communities and Children Secretary welcomes figures that show how homes are improving lives (WG 13/10/16)
Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant today welcomed figures that show that 79% of all social housing dwellings met the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) at March 31st 2016, which is a rise of 8 percentage points on the previous year.

Twin Towns UK – Call for Applications (Carnegie Trust 10/10/16)
Towns are critical to the future economic prospects of the UK. Twin Towns UK takes a fresh approach to the well-established ‘twinning’ concept, by pairing towns across the UK with similar characteristics or socio-economic challenges, to consider how to make positive change happen in their communities. Twin Towns UK will support up to 10 towns to trial bilateral ‘twinning’ arrangements over an 18-month period.  Applications are invited until 25 November 2016 from interested organisations that represent their town in some capacity.

Search to find the most inspiring built schemes begins (RICS 10/16)
A four-month search to find each region’s most inspirational built projects in the land, property and construction sectors is now on, following the opening of entries for the 2017 RICS Awards. Our popular annual awards celebrate each region’s top built initiatives and developments that provide significant value to the communities they serve. Every year, each regional RICS Awards ceremony attracts hundreds of entries, from small scale pioneering schemes to large multi-million pound developments. The deadline for entries is 16 January.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.

Question S5W-01924: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 12/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce legislation that would allow builders who carry out substandard work and cause properties to become dangerous to be charged with a criminal offence.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (21/09/2016)

Question S5W-01923: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 12/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce regulations to introduce licensing for companies carrying out building works.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (21/09/2016)

Question S5W-01922: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 12/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce greater regulation in the building trade.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (21/09/2016)

Question S5W-02268: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the suggestion in the Scottish Housing Condition Survey 2014 that the main cause of failing to meet the standard in all tenures relates to poor energy efficiency, what measures it plans or has introduced to improve energy efficiency in (a) social housing and (b) the private sector.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (29/09/2016)

Question S5W-03171: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 26/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to overcome barriers in (a) getting agreement and (b) securing finances for communal work on multi-tenanted properties.
Answered by Annabelle Ewing (05/10/2016)

MOTIONS

*S5M-01869 Fiona Hyslop: Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill – UK Legislation—That the Parliament agrees that the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill, introduced to the House of Lords on 19 May 2016, which provides for the introduction of measures to enable the ratification by the United Kingdom of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 1954 and the Protocols to that Convention of 1954 and 1999 and which, so far as applying to Scotland, is within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan (SP 07/10/16)

OTHER PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY

The Parliament has agreed the following parliamentary recess dates in 2016:

• 8 to 23 October 2016 (inclusive)
• 24 December 2016 to 8 January 2017 (inclusive)

EVENTS

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

Bringing Back the MACK
When: 20th October 2016 at 18:00pm.
Where: GCHT Office, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow.
Devastated by fire in May 2014, the Glasgow School of Art is now being painstakingly restored by a team of experts. Rachael Purse, the former Glasgow City Heritage Trust Monuments Officer, was awarded the ‘Bringing Back the Mack’ PhD Scholarship to record this effort. Over the next three years, Rachael will be providing a critical reflection on the project, as well as investigating spatial changes and creating case studies on the material conservation and reconstruction. Rachael will be giving us an early look into her work, talking about the research she has done so far, providing insights into what it’s like to be a part of this huge conservation project, and highlighting new discoveries.

The Best Ways to Enhance Edinburgh as a Place
When: 27 Oct 2016 from 6.00 – 8.00 pm.
Where: Broughton St Mary’s Church, 12 Bellevue Cres, Edinburgh EH3 6NE.
This will be a talk by the recently-appointed Chairman of the Cockburn Association, Cliff Hague. He will return to Lord Cockburn’s famous letter, “Letter to the Lord Provost on the Best Ways of Spoiling the Beauty of Edinburgh”, and will suggest it still has remarkable relevance for us today at a time when the city is developing and changing rapidly. He will consider ways in which Edinburgh could be enhanced as a place to live, work and visit; how to meet the needs and expectations of different people and groups in the city; and how to balance continuity and change in the creation and renewal of a modern city. Tickets are free for members but please rsvp admin@cockburnassociation.org.uk – for non-members there will be a charge at the door of £5.

The City Talks: Glasgows Changing Skyline
When: 2nd November 2016 at 18:00pm.
Where: Cottiers Theater, 93 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, G11 5PU.
Glasgow is a city which never sleeps! A cultural and economic hub with an ever-changing skyline; but is this constant evolution the sign of an exciting city, or is Glasgow losing the unique historic built environment at the heart of its soul? Our panel of speakers will discuss the pros and cons of becoming a modern metropolis, and the challenges faced when incorporating the old with the new. This event will start with a tribute to Gareth Hoskins life and work by Chris Colman-Smith, director at Hoskins Architects.

Politicians in Planning Annual Conference
When: Saturday, 19 November 2016 at 9:30AM – 4:30PM.
Where: Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount St, Manchester, M2 5NS.
Overcoming Common Challenges across the UK and Ireland through Planning. Planning powers are devolved within the United Kingdom. But the challenges of delivering housing, infrastructure and enhancing the environment are common challenges faced by decision makers in each of the countries. For the first time, the annual PIPA conference will open up to politicians in all countries of the United Kingdom and Ireland to explore common themes faced by local elected decision makers, to learn from each other and take back with them the tools to help them make the most of their planning decision making powers. To be eligible to attend this conference you must be a politician.

TRAINING

CPD at Glasgow City Heritage Trust, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow, this autumn:

• Scaffold for Heritage Projects
• Traditional Window Maintenance and Repair
• Care and Maintenance of Historic Brick.

Full details available here.

Training for PAS volunteers this autumn: 

• Enhance Your Presentation Skills – few places left!
  Thursday 20 October, 6pm – 8pm, Edinburgh. Learn how to prepare and give more effective presentations.
• Enhance Your Facilitation Skills and volunteering for Charretteplus®
  Wednesday 26 October, 6pm – 8.30pm, Edinburgh. Learn how to lead more effective workshops and discussion groups at PAS Charretteplus® exercises and other community events.
• Enhance your Youth Engagement Skills
  Thursday 10 November, 6pm – 8pm, Edinburgh. Learn how to engage more effectively with children and young people in schools settings.

Please email PAS to book your place for any or all of these events and remember to specify which event(s) you wish to attend.

VACANCIES

Project Officer (Fraserburgh 2021) Fixed Term
To assist the Project Manager with the delivery of the Fraserburgh 2021 Townscape Heritage/CARS scheme with the aim of securing lasting high quality physical improvements to the historic built environment of the town. There is a responsibility for the post holder to demonstrate a commitment to quality service delivery through continuous improvement for the benefit of the Service and the organisation.

Engagement Officer Fraserburgh 2021 (Fixed Term)
To undertake engagement and liaison work to raise awareness of, stimulate interest in, understand and promote the Fraserburgh 2021 Townscape Heritage/CARS scheme. This will be achieved by working with key partners including building owners, local communities, special interest groups and contractors to tell the story of Fraserburgh town centre. There is a responsibility for the post holder to demonstrate a commitment to quality service delivery through continuous improvement for the benefit of the Service and the organisation.

PAS Volunteer Intern Opportunity 
1 day per week, research and writing relating to sponsorship of new PAS project for 2017 as well as trusts and foundations, based at PAS office: contact Robert Pickles (robert@pas.org.uk) for more information.

MEMBERS’ NEWS

CIfA initial response to AQA withdrawal of A-level Archaeology (CIfA 13/10/16)
On 12 October, the AQA exam board announced that it would be dropping the A-level Archaeology course as of next year. This decision, which comes out of the blue, is extremely damaging for the sector, particularly as there is a noted shortage of archaeologists to meet demand created by the growth in national infrastructure projects and the sector has been pouring resources into diversifying routes into the profession.

IHBC’s 2016 School reports in Context, with new perspectives on power, people, place (IHBC 12/10/16)
IHBC’s new issue of its celebrated membership journal, Context, is now out, offering diverse reports and perspectives on the institute’s 2016 Annual School, including Loyd Grossman’s keynote presentation, alongside the essential IHBC officer updates as well as added critical insights to wider practice such as charging options in listing and the challenges of conserving a purpose-designed ruin.

New Support Officers Join The AHF (AHF 07/10/16)
At the start of October, we welcomed five new Support Officers to the team, thanks to additional funding from the UK Treasury and Historic England. At grass roots level the Support Officers at the Architectural Heritage Fund are often the first point of call in the initial stages of a project starting up and becoming viable. They help community organisations to apply to the fund for grants for early development work and project planning, through to loans for acquisition and as working capital for project delivery.

National Trust for Scotland moves ahead with big changes (NTS 04/10/16)
Trustees of Scotland’s largest conservation charity, the 350,000-member National Trust for Scotland, have unanimously agreed to move forward with a transformational programme of change. The changes see the Trust moving from seven directorates and departments down to four, with HQ functions streamlined to support a new regional properties structure – there will be six regional groupings of built heritage properties and one nationwide grouping of natural heritage properties.

Information in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites including the Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS); Historic Environment Scotland (HES); Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Design Council (DC); Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG);Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish Government Building Standards  (SGBS); Europa Nostra (EN); Historic England (HE).

If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit information to be included, please get in touch with Saskia Smellie or tel: BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241.

BACK

BEFS NEWS

Stakeholders provided feedback on the draft 2016 Scottish Historic Environment Audit (SHEA) headline statistics at a workshop organised by BEFS and HES. Stakeholders valued the impartial reporting of the SHEA as a factual description of the amount and state of the historic environment, which complements current efforts to measure its benefits in terms of people’s wellbeing. Stakeholders were keen to see greater consistency in data sources, additional contextual information supporting the data and use of digital opportunities. Read the full SHEA workshop report.

The name and remit of the Scottish Parliament’s European and External Relations Committee has changed to include culture and tourism matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Relations. The committee’s new name is Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee.

The Scottish Household Survey 2015 statistics have been released and report that visits to historical or archaeological places are up 5 percentage points (28% to 33%) on 2012.

The Scottish Government held a two-day workshop in mid-September as part of the planning reform agenda and a list of participants in the 6 working groups is now available. A summary of the outcomes is yet to be published.

Ross Martin, Chief Executive of Scottish Council for Development and Industry, reflects on the connection between place and productivity in BEFS latest thought-provoking blog.

Good to see the launch of Under One Roof, the new free website designed to help the half million plus private flat owners in Scotland with the complex and important task of carrying out repairs to their shared properties.

CONSULTATIONS

Consultation on proposals for regulations and policy supporting the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016. (SG 03/10/16)
The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 creates the new private residential tenancy which will replace current assured and short assured tenancies. The purpose of the new tenancy is to improve security of tenure for tenants balanced with appropriate safeguards for landlords, lenders and investors.
Runs from 3 Oct 2016 to 25 Dec 2016

Brexit impact on creative industries, tourism and digital market examined (BP 09/16)
The Culture Media and Sport Parliamentary (CMS) Committee is calling for written submissions on creative industries, tourism and the digital markets, with a deadline of Friday 28 October 2016.

PUBLICATIONS

The Economic Implications of Brexit (SP 06/10/16)
The Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) were commissioned by the Scottish Parliament’s European and External Relations Committee to undertake economic modelling work to explore the long-term implications of Brexit for Scotland. This briefing summarises the results of this economic modelling.

Planning Performance Statistics, 2016/17, Q1 (SG 05/10/16)
This report presents the latest summary statistics on planning decision-making and timescales for April to June 2016 (Quarter 1), as well as historic data going back to quarter one of 2012/13. It is based on data collected by the Scottish Government from Local and Planning Authorities as part of the Planning Performance Framework (introduced in 2012).

DCMS Statistical Handbook (DCMS 28/09/16)
This release summarises Official Statistics relevant to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Scotland’s People Annual Report: Results from the 2015 Scottish Household Survey (SG 27/09/16)

Heritage Counts 2016: Heritage and the Economy
This fact sheet provides a summary of the key figures available from existing research which show the economic benefits of the historic environment. The document describes how heritage drives growth by attracting international tourism, boosting local economies and providing thousands of jobs. It also introduces new research: the Heritage Economic Impact Indicator Workbook 2016.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASES

Planning decision times published (SG 05/10/16)
Latest quarterly statistics show faster average decision times for local developments but slower average decision times for major developments compared to the previous quarter and previous year. Statistics on quarterly planning performance in Scotland have been released today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

Green Space Funding (SG 03/10/16)
£8.25 million EU green infrastructure fund announced. A multi-million-pound fund to develop green spaces in some of Scotland’s most deprived areas has been announced by Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Keith Brown. The money – which comes from EU funding – will support projects like new nature reserves and parks and green spaces in urban areas, benefiting communities across Scotland.

Reassurance for registered social landlords (SG 29/09/16)
Housing Bill to be introduced. Legislation which will help support the delivery of 50,000 new affordable homes is to be introduced by the Scottish Government. By ensuring Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) can be classified as private bodies, the bill will ensure that RSLs can borrow money privately in addition to the Scottish Government’s committed investment of £3 billion in affordable housing.

Life for people in Scotland in 2015 (SG 27/09/16)
The majority of people in Scotland rate their neighbourhood as a good place to live and have a strong sense of belonging to their neighbourhood. Most people also participated in sport and exercise and engaged in some type of cultural activity in 2015, whilst around a quarter volunteered. Around a half of households were positive about their finances. These are just some of the findings from the wide-ranging 2015 Scottish Household Survey.

Loans to help make warmer homes (SG 21/09/16)
More people will be able to make their homes warm and water-tight through a new £10 million fund. The pilot scheme in Glasgow, Argyll and Bute and Perthshire will provide equity loans of up to £40,000 to home owners on low incomes to help them make essential repairs to leaking roofs and building structures. This work is often necessary before energy efficiency measures like solid-wall insulation can be installed.

NEWS RELEASES

Scotland’s Towns Week 2016 (STP 06/10/16)
Scotland’s Towns Week officially launched in the Scottish Parliament yesterday (5th October 2016) during an evening reception which celebrated the diversity of Scotland’s small and rural towns, ahead of Towns Week which runs 7th – 13th November, Scotland-wide.

‘Queer histories’ recognised by Historic England (IHBC 01/10/16)
The Pride of Place project being conducted by Historic England has led to new listings and a greater recognition of the importance of LGBTQ heritage.

Scotland’s thatched buildings recorded for the first time (HES 29/09/16)
All 305 of Scotland’s historic, traditional thatched buildings have been recorded for the very first time as part of a unique field work project, which lasted 18 months.

SNH pledges commitment to empowering communities (SNH 29/09/16)
A set of good practice principles designed to improve the way organisations and groups engage with local communities has been firmly backed by Scottish Natural Heritage. SNH has added its support to the National Standards for Community Engagement, launched today (Thursday) by Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local Government and Housing.

Progress on the creation of Historic Wales (WG 29/09/16)
Ken Skates, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for Culture, has reiterated his commitment to the creation of new body, Historic Wales and announced he has asked the Director of the National Trust Wales to chair a steering group to progress the next phase of this work.

New Site Could Save Owners “Hundreds of Millions!” (RIAS 21/09/16)
Under One Roof, a major new free website designed to help the half million plus private flat owners in Scotland with the complex and important task of carrying out repairs to their shared properties, has been launched by Scottish Government Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart MSP at an event in Glasgow. Written by Annie Flint and John Gilbert, the authors of the acclaimed Tenement Handbook originally published by the RIAS over 20 years ago, the site contains over 100 articles on flat owners’ legal responsibilities towards their co-owners and over 70 technical information articles that enable owners to identify repair problems and understand quotations from builders. The site has over 100, specially commissioned, drawings, 200 photographs and a Repair Symptoms Checker to help owners pin down what is affecting their building’s health. Downloadable model letters will make the whole process easier for owners. Advice on dealing with owners who refuse to participate in critical repairs is also provided.

WG introduce Land Transaction Tax: 1st Wales’ own in 800 years (IHBC 21/09/16)
The Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill is to be introduced in the latest legislative programme of the Welsh Government (WG), and its first Welsh tax in almost 800 years.

European Year of Cultural Heritage proposed for 2018 (EC 20/09/16)
The European Commission has published its long-awaited proposal for the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018, which includes a ‘Call for ideas’.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

S5W-03377 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to
encourage the private sector to build more homes to alleviate housing shortages. (SP 03/10/16)

S5W-03378 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the Scottish Housing Quality Standard to (a) the private rented sector and (b) tied housing. (SP03/10/16)

S5W-03171 Mark Ruskell: To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to overcome barriers in (a) getting agreement and (b) securing finances for communal work on multi-tenanted properties (SP 27/09/16)

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.

Question S5W-02272: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the call on 30 August 2016 from the Existing Homes Alliance for the forthcoming programme for government to set an objective for a national infrastructure programme that supports every home to reach at least an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2025.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (20/09/2016)

Question S5W-02271: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the call on 30 August 2016 from the Existing Homes Alliance for the forthcoming budget to significantly increase public investment in home energy efficiency measures.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (15/09/2016)

Question S5W-02270: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the provision of maintenance and repairs for social housing.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (20/09/2016)

Question S5W-02267: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the condition of the current housing stock.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (20/09/2016)

Question S5W-02263: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have received support from the Rural Poverty Task Force.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (15/09/2016)

Question S5W-02262: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 01/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government how it is using its powers under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 to improve the standard of private sector housing.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (20/09/2016)

Question S5W-02438: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 08/09/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost per unit was for new social housing built by local authorities for (a) one-, (b) two- and (c) three-bedroom properties in each year since 2007.
Answered by Kevin Stewart (20/09/2016)

OTHER PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY

S5M-01693 Joe FitzPatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau: Names and Remits of Mandatory Committees—That the Parliament agrees, under Rule 6.1, that the names and remits of the following mandatory committees be amended—

Name of Committee: European and External Relations Committee
New name: Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee
Remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.8 shall be added—
Culture and tourism matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Relations. (SP 29/09/16)

EVENTS

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

When: 27 October 2016 from 9am – 4.30pm.
Where: Haddo House, Methlick, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Through a combination of inspiring case studies and expert testimony, this conference celebrates how opportunities have been identified in the creative re-use of Aberdeenshire’s built heritage; sharing knowledge and ideas on how projects can be funded, solutions found and challenges overcome. Conference Chairman: Andrew P K Wright OBE. Speakers: Richard Murphy OBE, Tom Duff, Paul Higson, David Narro, David Chouman, Ian Davidson, David W Walker and Alan Marshall.
There is also an evening event on Thursday 27th October, and site visits planned for Friday 28th October. Tickets can be purchased for the various elements of the conference, and a student discount is offered.
Contact: info@nespt.org Twitter: @NESPTconference #CastlestoClockTowers.
For more information and to book tickets visit the .

Scotland’s Towns Conference
When: 9th November.
Where: Kirkcaldy.
Bookings are open for the Annual Scotland’s Towns Conference. The Conference will centre around how we can further unlock the potential of Scotland’s towns. Book before 14th October to be in with a chance to attend for free! All bookings made before 14th October, 5pm will be entered into the draw. Scotland’s Towns Conference 2016 comes at a key moment for Scotland’s towns. The hosting of the first ever World Towns Leadership Summit in Edinburgh this summer highlighted that Scotland is leading the way in town transformation and partnership working across sectors – and even borders. Join leading practitioners, policy-makers, and other key stakeholders to discuss how our towns can flourish through local strategies with partnership and innovation at their core.

Celebrating Civic Pride – Booking Open!
When: Tuesday 15th November 2016, 10am – 4pm.
Where: Linlithgow Burgh Halls.
The next Scottish Civic Trust annual conference will showcase and celebrate the work of local civic trusts, amenity societies and heritage volunteers. The people that make up these groups work tirelessly to promote and protect local heritage, places and spaces. The conference will provide them with a platform to show what they have achieved, explain why they do it and set out the challenges and difficulties they face.

19th Annual Plenderleith Lecture: “Antiquities trafficking – 21st century developments”
When: 24th November 2016. Lecture: 6-7pm/Icon Scotland Group AGM: 5.15-5.45pm/Drinks reception: 7-8.30pm.
Where: St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, Castle St, Glasgow G4 0RH.
The Scottish Conservation sector’s keynote annual Plenderleith lecture for 2016 will address a controversial and highly topical subject – the global trafficking of antiquities and other cultural objects. Icon Scotland Group is pleased to welcome this year’s speaker – Doctor Neil Brodie, Senior Research Fellow, Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa Project at the University of Oxford. A separate free CPD event is being planned for the afternoon of the day, from 2-4pm based around the GSA Mackintosh fire recovery project.

TRAINING

Measuring Performance: Evidence to inform strategy in your place
Date: 12 October 2016. Time: 2pm – 4.30pm.
Location: Architecture and Design Scotland, Edinburgh.
Learn more about Understanding Scottish Places Toolkit, the Place Standard Tool and the Town Centre Toolkit in this very practical half day workshop. Experts will guide you to use, connect and develop these tools for your own place and to build an evidence base to inform strategy.

Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage: training
There are places available on upcoming fundraising training, including a brand new ‘in focus’ event ‘Storytelling using media’ which will help you articulate your case for support using film. Also a dedicated seminar for Trustees – ‘the Role of the Board in Fundraising’, and an in focus session on applying to Trusts and Foundations, with a one-to-one fundraising surgeries as part of the event as well. All events cost just £25 + VAT for small organisations (or £50 + VAT for larger organisations). There are also travel bursaries available.

VACANCIES

Call for new SRCT Board Members
A charity caring for nationally important churches is looking for dynamic new trustees to join the board at an exciting time of change for the organisation. Many of Scotland’s historic places of worship face an uncertain future and the SRCT is gearing up to respond to the challenge. We are seeking additional board members to play a vital role in the transition of the SRCT to a more entrepreneurial and financially resilient organisation: achieving our objective of safeguarding Scotland’s religious heritage by working with local people to conserve, regenerate, and put historic churches back at the heart of communities.

The Scottish Redundant Churches Trust (SRCT) is a charitable trust (SC024407) founded in 1996. Having acquired 7 former churches of national significance and won awards for our conservation work, we are breaking new ground with an innovative £2.4 million project at the A-listed ‘at-risk’ St Margaret’s Church, Braemar.

New Trustees will assist in driving forward the transition process and the shaping and resourcing of the organisation to meet the changing needs of the religious heritage sector. They will also support the raising of the profile of the sector and its cultural and social value. We’re looking for people who support the objectives of the Trust and can offer skills or experience in some of the following areas:
finance or business; property management; tourism or arts; marketing, PR or media; fundraising; law; And who think strategically, enjoy working collaboratively with colleagues and are interested in the heritage sector.

Applications should be by CV and a covering letter explaining why you are interested in the role and how you think your skills and experience relate to our work. If you would like to know more please contact our Director, Victoria Collison-Owen on victoria@srct.org.uk or 0131 563 5135. Scottish Redundant Churches Trust, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LP.  www.srct.org.uk. Scottish Charity SC024407. A Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee SC162884

Scottish Civic Trust are recruiting National Casework Volunteers
National Casework Volunteers assist with SCT planning casework across Scotland. Specific tasks would include:
1.    Planning applications monitoring: This would involve reviewing lists of planning applications across Scotland to identify appropriate cases for SCT to comment on. This would also include inputting the details of applications into the SCT casework database.
2.    Case review: This would involve reviewing case details/drawings, and drafting responses to planning applications from SCT in consultation with the Director.
Further details can be found here.

MEMBERS’ NEWS

IHBC welcomes its first Vice President: Mike Brown IHBC (IHBC 23/09/16)
Following formal agreement by IHBC trustees in April to extend capacity at the highest levels of the organization, the Board is delighted to announce the election of its first Vice President, Mike Brown, who takes up this annual, renewable, portfolio-led post linked first to ongoing sector discussions with England’s Historic Environment Forum, HEF.

Information in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites including the Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS); Historic Environment Scotland (HES); Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Design Council (DC); Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG);Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish Government Building Standards  (SGBS); Europa Nostra (EN); Historic England (HE).

If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit information to be included, please get in touch with Saskia Smellie or tel: BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241.

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BEFS NEWS

BEFS welcomes a grant from Historic Environment Scotland to fund the running and coordination of the Scottish Traditional Building Forum (STBF). STBF is made up of a network of local traditional building forums with local representation who work together to highlight specific issues relating to traditional buildings and building practices. Read more about STBF and BEFS here.

BEFS aims to raise the profile of STBF and provide guidance and support for the regional forums. This will be achieved with the help of John McKinney, who has been appointed STBF’s Coordinator. John introduces us to the invaluable work of STBF in BEFS latest blog.

BEFS has submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Europe and External Relations Committee on Scotland’s relationship with the EU. Evidence gave a flavour of members’ involvement with the EU in terms of the relevant EU Directives, funding relationships, networks and projects, training and movement of people with specialist skills. You can read the submission here.

CONSULTATIONS

Have Your Say: Your Invitation to Contribute to A&DS Corporate Strategy 2017-2020 (A&DS 15/09/16)
A&DS is currently preparing its new corporate plan for 2017-2020, and we are opening up our ideas to our wider stakeholders.  As part of this we would like to hear from you.
The closing deadline for contributions is 31st October 2016.

Improving transparency in land ownership in Scotland: a consultation on controlling interests in land (SG 11/09/16)
A consultation on proposals for regulations to require the disclosure of persons with controlling interest in landowners and tenants in a register to be held by the Registers of Scotland.
Consultation runs from 11 Sep 2016 to 5 Dec 2016.

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Consultation on secondary legislation proposals relating to Part 3A of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 – the community right to buy abandoned, neglected or detrimental land as introduced by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (SG 15/19/16)
Analysis of the recent consultation on the Community Right to Buy Abandoned, Neglected or Detrimental Land (also known as Part 3A).

Implementation of planning changes: technical consultation (DCLG 02/09/16)
Summary of responses and the government response to the neighbourhood planning chapter of the technical consultation on planning.

Consultation on proposals relating to secondary legislation for Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 – the crofting community right to buy as amended by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 – Analysis of consultation responses

PUBLICATIONS

Housing Statistics for Scotland 2016 – Key Trends Summary (SG 13/09/16)
This annual publication presents statistics on housing supply and public sector housing in Scotland up to 31st March 2016, based on information collected from local authorities, housing associations and the Scottish Government affordable housing supply programme.

A Plan For Scotland: The Scottish Government’s Programme For Scotland 2016-17 (SG 06/09/16)
The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2016-17 sets out the actions the Government will take in the forthcoming year and beyond.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASES

Scotland’s future in Europe (SG 14/09/16)
Scotland must remain in the EU single market. The importance of Scotland remaining part of the European Union’s single market was a key theme during the first in a series of parliamentary debates on the implications of Brexit.

Council ward boundaries agreed (SG 14/09/16)
Ministers decide on council ward boundaries. Council ward boundaries across Scotland have been agreed, following Ministers’ decisions on recommendations from the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. The Commission published recommendations for changes to councillor numbers and ward boundaries in May, following completion of its fifth periodic review of local government electoral arrangements.

More affordable housing approved (SG 13/09/16)
Continued commitment to delivering more homes. The number of affordable homes approved over the year to the end of June 2016 has increased by 26% on the previous year, bringing the total number of approvals over the year to 8,067.

Stability in new housing supply (SG 13/19/16)
Two sets of housing statistics have been released today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. The Annual Housing Statistics update includes information on total housing supply, local authority house sales, lettings and evictions, stock and vacancy rates, supported housing, housing lists, scheme of assistance and houses in multiple occupation. The Quarterly Housing Statistics update includes information on new house building, affordable housing supply and right to buy applications and sales.

Community right to buy (SG 08/09/16)
More communities across Scotland are benefitting from the ownership of land. Cabinet Secretary for Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham has announced that more than 500,000 acres in Scotland are now in community ownership – breaking the half way mark on the million acres target set in 2013.

eBuildingStandards service launches (SG 01/09/16)
eBuildingStandards follows the launch of the improved ePlanning service in January, and signals the latest development in streamlining public services in the digital age. This new service makes it quicker and easier to apply for building work both on individual home improvement projects and for larger commercial developments.

NEWS RELEASES

Views Sought on Local Government and Housing Budgets (SP 19/09/16)
The impact of budget reductions on council services is to be scrutinised by the Local Government and Communities Committee as it starts its annual budget examination.

‘Future of LG Archaeology Services’ report out: HER funding, training support; archives development, and much more (IHBC 16/09/16)
The long-awaited 2014 report on ‘The Future of Local Government ((LG) Archaeology Services Report’, to which IHBC contributed, has been published by the All Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group (APPAG), and includes recommendations to ‘develop a voluntary developer contribution which would establish a ring-fenced national fund which will help financially secure local authority HER services’.

Scotland’s heritage volunteers named in nationwide shortlist (HES 15/09/16)
Shortlist for second annual Scottish Heritage Angel Awards announced. ‘Angels’ behind the restoration of a memorial tower on Orkney, the safeguarding of a Victorian-built community hall in Glasgow and a Borders-based project that has recorded Scotland’s industrial brick makers are amongst those to have been chosen to go through to the finals of the 2016 Scottish Heritage Angel Awards.

Parliament says: Health should be a ‘material consideration’ in planning (IHBC 14/09/16)
MPs have urged ministers to stipulate that health should be a material consideration in both planning and licensing law, as the Commons Health Committee has recommended in its report on public health, warning of widening health inequalities now councils have taken over more responsibility in this area at a time of cuts to budgets and front-line services.

The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage – Call for Entries (EN 13/09/16)
Europa Nostra Awards is Europe’s highest honour in the heritage field. It recognises the best restoration projects; the most impressive research; the most dedicated heritage professionals and volunteers; and the finest awareness raising, training and educational programmes. Architects, craftsmen, cultural heritage experts, professionals and volunteers, public and private institutions, and local communities: this is your chance to win the top heritage award in Europe!

Historic Environment Scotland welcomes new CEO (HES 12/09/16)
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is pleased to announce that Alex Paterson has taken up his new role of Chief Executive Officer as of Monday 12 September 2016.

Landscape Research Group 50th Anniversary Research Fund (LRG 08/19/16)
In 2017, the LRG celebrates its 50th Anniversary and we have created a 50th Anniversary Research Fund.  This fund will be used to support a small number of high-quality projects which align strongly with our Research Strategy. More specifically, the LRG 50th Anniversary Research Fund will be targeted to support projects dealing with the theme of landscape justice.

New Bill will boost growth and housebuilding (DCLG 07/09/16)
The Bill will speed up and strengthen the popular neighbourhood planning process. Measures in the new Neighbourhood Planning Bill will support more housebuilding and provide more local say over developments the Housing and Planning Minister announced today.

Making Space 2016: Design spaces where children can be spontaneous and independent (A&DS 01/09/16) 
Architects and planners must do more to ensure public and private spaces are designed in a way that respect children’s rights to play, according to award-winning Japanese architect Professor Takaharu Tezuka. Professor Tezuka will visit Glasgow in November as keynote speaker at Making Space 2016 – an international award and conference focusing on architecture and design for children.

Call for papers – Heritage and Well-being Conference 2017 (CCT 09/16)
We are seeking papers and proposals for practical workshops for our biennial international heritage conference from 22-24 March 2017. The conference will explore the powerful relationship between conserving the built environment and healthy productive communities and mental well-bring. The deadline for proposals is 3rd October.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament. Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

S5W-02438 Oliver Mundell: To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost per unit was for new social housing built by local authorities for (a) one-, (b) two- and (c) three-bedroom properties in each year since 2007. (SP 09/09/16)

S5W-02262 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government how it is using its powers under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 to improve the standard of private sector housing. (SP 05/09/16)

S5W-02263 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have received support from the Rural Poverty Task Force. (SP 05/09/16)

S5W-02267 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the condition of the current housing stock. (SP 05/09/16)

S5W-02268 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the suggestion in the Scottish Housing Condition Survey 2014 that the main cause of failing to meet the standard in all tenures relates to poor energy efficiency, what measures it plans or has introduced to improve energy efficiency in (a) social housing and (b) the private sector. (SP 05/09/16)

S5W-02270 Pauline McNeill: To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the provision of maintenance and repairs for social housing. (SP 05/09/16)

S5W-02271 Liam McArthur: To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the call on 30 August 2016 from the Existing Homes Alliance for the forthcoming budget to significantly increase public investment in home energy efficiency measures. (SP 05/09/16)

S5W-02272 Liam McArthur: To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the call on 30 August 2016 from the Existing Homes Alliance for the forthcoming programme for government to set an objective for a national infrastructure programme that supports every home to reach at least an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2025. (SP 05/09/16)

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.

Question S5W-01891: Oliver Mundell, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage businesses to adapt older properties to make them fully accessible for disabled people.
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse (06/09/2016)

Question S5W-02066: Adam Tomkins, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 19/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, which were submitted in May 2016.
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick (08/09/2016)

Question S5W-02130: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 24/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it (a) has had and (b) plans with local authorities regarding the Land Scotland organisation that was referred to on page 18 of the 2016 SNP manifesto.
Answered by Fergus Ewing (09/09/2016)

Question S5W-02129: David Stewart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 24/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will introduce the mandatory public register of land and how the register will be implemented.
Answered by Keith Brown (08/09/2016)

Question S5W-02090: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 22/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government when the descriptors for each of the 42 wild land areas identified in Scottish Natural Heritage’s map of wild land areas from June 2014 will be published and for what reason they have not been published.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham (09/09/2016)

Question S5W-02048: Claudia Beamish, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23/08/2016
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions it has had with the UK Government and (b) action it can take to match the funding provide by the EU for rural and environmental initiatives through the (i) LEADER, (ii) LIFE and (iii) other programmes if the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Derek Mackay (08/09/2016)

MOTIONS

Motion S5M-01297: Alison Johnstone, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 06/09/2016
Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival
That the Parliament welcomes the fifth Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival events, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, hosted by Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Architecture & Design Scotland, Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and Historic Environment Scotland, and sponsored by the Construction Industry Training Board and Stone Federation GB; notes that the festival featured demonstrations of traditional building skills, including masonry, slate roofing, lead roofing, lime mortars, plastering and painting and decorating, sash and case windows and architectural cast iron, as well as a series of talks and tours; recognises that the event was a collaboration organised through the Edinburgh Traditional Building Forum; further notes that the event was open to members of the public to offer advice, with the aim of highlighting the importance of the appropriate building skills in the repair and maintenance of traditional buildings, and believes that practical demonstrations of traditional building skills provide a platform to promote these key skills.
Supported by: Colin Beattie, Liam McArthur, Ross Greer, Alexander Burnett, Richard Lyle, Miles Briggs, Monica Lennon, David Torrance, Andy Wightman, Clare Adamson, Stuart McMillan, Jackie Baillie, John Finnie

Motion S5M-01298: Alison Johnstone, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 06/09/2016
Edinburgh Traditional Building Mini-golf Course
That the Parliament welcomes the traditional building mini-golf course, which was part of a wide range of events coordinated by Essential Edinburgh throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe; understands that the mini-golf, which was on George Street, showcased a range of traditional building skills and materials in an innovative and interactive way; notes that it was a collaboration that was organised through the Edinburgh Traditional Building Forum and was open to the public for enjoyment and advice; understands that it aimed to highlight the importance of having skills in the repair and maintenance of traditional buildings, and believes that the course encouraged interaction with such skills that promoted them to a younger audience.
Supported by: Tavish Scott, Alexander Burnett, Neil Findlay, Richard Lyle, Miles Briggs, Ben Macpherson, Ivan McKee, David Torrance, Finlay Carson, Bill Kidd, Clare Adamson, Stuart McMillan, Jackie Baillie, Ross Greer, John Finnie

EVENTS

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

PR and Communications: Connecting with your local audience
When: September 28, 2016 at 2pm – 4:30pm.
Where: WG13, Kilmarnock.
Looking for some practical advice and inspiration for your PR and Communications strategy? An exciting new event, running for the second time, from STP in partnership with East Ayrshire Council that will leave you feeling inspired to find your towns’ USP, grab the headlines and to make a cutting edge film to deliver your messages.

Scotland’s Thatched Buildings – Current Condition and Future Protection 
When: Thursday 29th September, 10.00am – 4.00pm.
Where: Culloden Baptist Church.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (Scotland) and Historic Environment Scotland, in collaboration with the National Trust for Scotland, and the Scottish Vernacular Buildings Working Group welcomes you to join us for a day of celebrating Thatched Buildings in Scotland.

The 7th Annual Place-Making Symposium: Streets Beyond: Beyond Streets – The Changing Role and Purpose of Public Space
When: 11th November 2016.
Where: Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee.
A landmark collaborative event that marks the 10th birthdays of The Academy of Urbanism and Architecture & Design Scotland, set within the Scottish Government’s Year of Innovation. Streets and other urban spaces need to respond to the demands of modern life, including vehicle access and human walkability, safety and well-being, local business needs and shifts in arts and culture. There has been a progressive shift from utilitarian corridors to ‘positive’ streets where people want to be where they feel comfortable, safe and even inspired by their surroundings.

SCT Conference 2016: Celebrating Civic Pride
When: 15 November 2016
Where: Linlithgow Burgh Halls
The next Scottish Civic Trust annual conference will showcase and celebrate the work of local civic trusts, amenity societies and heritage volunteers. The people that make up these groups work tirelessly to promote and protect local heritage, places and spaces. The conference will provide them with a platform to show what they have achieved, explain why they do it and set out the challenges and difficulties they face.

Scottish Empty Homes Conference 2016
When: 15th November 2016
Where: Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh
Join us for the sixth annual Scottish Empty Homes Conference, chaired by Tony Cain, Policy Manger, ALACHO.  With featured speakers including; Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government and Housing, and John Maher, Photographer & Brian Whitington, Project Manager, Tighean Innse Gall. This conference is invaluable for Empty Home Practicioners, Elected Members, Housing Development Staff, Community Groups and others with an interest in private sector empty homes work.

TRAINING

Expand your skills, gain CPD and try something new?
The Volunteer Welcome is a chance to hear about PAS as an organisation, the volunteering opportunities we offer and how we operate – as well as meeting other volunteers.  One of our existing volunteers will attend at each event as well and will speak about their involvement in PAS.
• 6pm – 8pm, Wednesday 5 October, Edinburgh
• 6pm – 8pm, Thursday 6 October, Glasgow
Contact Robert Pickles (robert@pas.org.uk) for more details. Book your place at events@pas.org.uk.

Conservation Challenges – RIAS Autumn Seminar
This seminar will constitute excellent CPD and we anticipate that places will sell out fast. Members are advised that a Conservation Autumn seminar has been organised for the afternoon of Tuesday 11th October 2016. It is aimed at all RIAS accredited architects as well as members who wish to apply for accreditation. The topics covered will include funding and fund-raising (including for small projects), project business plans and listing. The technical component will examine stonework and will range from selecting the quarry and Supplier, specification writing for architects and advice on key points for site inspections.

VACANCIES

Call for nominations for CIfA Advisory Council and the Board of Directors (CIfA 02/09/16)

The formal call for nominations for CIfA Advisory Council and the Board of Directors has now been issued. Candidate forms must arrive at the CIfA office by Friday 9 September 2016. Accredited members will be invited to vote for candidates in a postal ballot if the number of candidates exceeds the number of vacancies. Ballot papers, accompanied by information and an election statement of the candidates, will be distributed to members and the ballot will run from 19 September to 4 October 2016 inclusive.

Information in the Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites including the Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP); Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS); Historic Environment Scotland (HES); Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Design Council (DC); Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG);Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); National Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS); Scottish Government Building Standards  (SGBS); Europa Nostra (EN); Historic England (HE).

If you have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit information to be included, please get in touch with Saskia Smellie or tel: BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241.

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