Erin Burke, Communications Officer for the Make Your Mark volunteering campaign, gives an introduction to the campaign and focuses on why inclusive heritage volunteering is important for Scotland’s heritage and communities.
The Places of Worship Forum (BEFS Secretariat) was recently delighted to welcome both Erin, as well as Sarah Pearce from Heritage Trust Network to hear about MYM in relation to places of worship.
We heard how the value that volunteering can bring to individuals, and the benefits those individuals can bring to organisations, is ever more important at times of increasing social and economic need.
What is Make Your Mark?
The Make Your Mark campaign aims to increase the number and diversity of heritage volunteers in Scotland and is part of the current Our Place in Time, Scotland’s national strategy for the historic environment. There are currently 79 volunteer-involving heritage organisations in Scotland signed-up to the campaign.
The campaign is supported by a partnership of major stakeholders in Scotland’s heritage and voluntary sectors, including Historic Environment Scotland, Volunteer Scotland, Museums Galleries Scotland, NatureScot, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Archaeology Scotland, Heritage Trust Network, National Galleries Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scottish Council on Archives and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland.
Why is inclusive heritage volunteering important?
Who engages with heritage has implications for the sector and wider society. Currently, according to the most recent Scottish Household Survey (2019), those most likely to attend historical, natural or archaeological sites are predominantly people of privilege.
Engagement with the historic environment has many individual and community benefits, such as empowering people and building a sense of place (Our Place in Time, 2014). In addition to the benefits of engaging with heritage, volunteering has also been shown to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing, support skills development and strengthen social bonds within and between communities (Volunteer Scotland, 2019). If, however, these benefits continue to be unequally distributed amongst society’s privileged few, heritage organisations will continue to perpetuate inequality and miss out on a major opportunity to transform society.
With the onset of COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis, inclusive heritage volunteering has only become more important. The pandemic and increasing prices have disproportionately impacted marginalised people, and the most recent Heritage Pulse Report (2022) has highlighted that 80% of organisations surveyed involved volunteers, with 28% of those reporting recruitment challenges. Increasing the number and diversity of heritage volunteers will support volunteer-involving heritage organisations by increasing the human resource, tools, and assistance available to preserve, restore and animate our heritage.
In a time of deepening societal inequality and increasing sectoral precarity, inclusive heritage volunteering is key to building a more equitable society and resilient heritage sector.
How can Make Your Mark support your organisation to involve a more diverse range of volunteers?
The Make Your Mark campaign supports heritage organisations to create inclusive volunteering programmes by:
- Connecting heritage volunteer coordinators Scotland-wide. The Make Your Mark Volunteer Organisers Network hosts informal networking events for campaign members to connect, share their expertise and support each other.
- Hosting free events for volunteer organisers. The Make Your Mark Volunteer Organisers Network also hosts inclusive volunteering case study events about a range of topics related to inclusive volunteering, such as removing class barriers, recognising racism in volunteer engagement and ethics in volunteer engagement.
- Sharing inclusive volunteering practice. The Make Your Mark website is a hub of information about inclusive volunteering. The website also hosts a database of volunteer centres and community groups across Scotland that organisations can reach out to for additional advice about their volunteer programmes or to co-design volunteer opportunities.
- Promoting volunteer opportunities. The campaign offers a free volunteer portal for members to advertise their volunteer opportunities. It serves as a centralised hub of heritage volunteering opportunities in Scotland.
- Celebrating the achievements of volunteers. Make Your Mark invites members’ volunteers to submit short blogs and videos about their roles and why they volunteer, which are promoted on the campaign’s website and social media.
- Advocating for change. The campaign has partnered with the University of Strathclyde to create a data baseline for the demographics of heritage volunteers in Scotland. This resource is currently being developed, but will be used to push for wider change and funding for increasing inclusivity across the sector.
How can your organisation join Make Your Mark?
Any heritage organisation in Scotland that works with volunteers or would like to begin working with volunteers can join Make Your Mark, including public, private, charitable and other entities. The campaign has a wide definition of heritage, and welcomes built, natural and cultural heritage organisations and projects.
Joining the Make Your Mark campaign is free – the only requirement is that organisations sign the Make Your Mark Expression of Commitment to signal their dedication to inclusive volunteering.
More information about Make Your Mark can be found at makeyourmark.scot.
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BEFS Director provides a brief overview of the Scottish Government draft Budget 2023-2024.
The Scottish Government published its draft Budget 2023-2024 on 15th December 2022 with details across all portfolios, including that of Historic Environment Scotland within Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.
We are living in, what were referred to by the Deputy First Minister as, “the most turbulent economic and financial context most people can remember”. Within the extensive scene-setting during the statement given to the Scottish Parliament, the mood music was undeniably dark. Challenging times and difficult decisions were the watchwords of the day, and perhaps coming years.
This overview highlights a few headline figures which may be of interest across the breadth of the existing built environment but we suggest that all those with a detailed interest explore the document in full before drawing any more definitive conclusions.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES): the budget repeats the description from last year in relation to the contribution our historic environment plays in relation to Net Zero. “We will continue to promote access to our historic environment, and high-quality places and buildings to support communities contributing principally to the culture, and also Net Zero, national outcomes.” (p102)
The total operational cost forecast for HES in 2023-24 is £114.5 million, an increase of just over 18% on the previous year’s budget. The budget as stated, suggests an income generation of £50.8M. Based on the evidence below, and with continued uncertainty around cost-of-living impacts on visitor numbers, rising costs, and ongoing limitations on some international travellers – this may seem optimistic, rather than realistic.
The two HES Annual reports covering times impacted by covid are as follows: the Annual Report for 2020-2021 states their commercial income was £ 8.2M (p7) – an 87% reduction on 2019-2020; and in the Annual Report for 2021-2022 income is listed as £22.3M (almost £20M short of the expectations set within the Scottish Budget in 2022-23, as can be seen above), and still 67% down on 2019-2020. The continued drop in income, and the implications on the wider HES budget, continues to be a concern.
Last year there was a significant increase in Government funding to HES (up around 25% on 2021-2022 – from £55.9M to £70.1M), this year the increase is a more modest 3.8% overall.
Level 4 data spreadsheets details HES Capital as, “Investment towards restoring, enhancing and conserving our HES Properties in Care and associated visitor facing facilities across Scotland. Capital funding for corporate infrastructure.” With the uplift specifically to “support an increase in essential maintenance.” With a significant amount of political, and public, attention on the Properties in Care which remain closed, as well as those undergoing high-level masonry inspections and works, it can be assumed that any additional resource for these sites may be viewed positively.
Unlike last year when no mention to the HES grants was made, the increase in running costs for 2023-2034 is detailed as follows, “Increased funding for public sector pay and other rising costs, further investment in the estate, and grants to the heritage sector.” This is a welcome direct reference to the grants provided to the sector via HES. The importance of these grants across the sector cannot be emphasised enough; with HES one of the few funders able to fund both organisations as well as building fabric. Sector stability, and the community impact of organisations and projects working with Scottish Government funding, through HES’ dispersal of these grants, positively impacts our people, and our places, across the breadth of Scotland.
However, the modest increases for HES sit within a wider portfolio facing at best economic stasis (and real-terms cuts), and at worst a raft of significant budget reductions – from Creative Scotland, across Cultural Collections, to the National Records of Scotland. These cuts come in the context of the Government response to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee scrutiny, “the Budget maintains funding for the culture sector into 2023-24. The Government will consider setting multi-year planning figures for cultural organisations within the increased fiscal challenges presented by the UK Government’s Autumn Statement.” (p29)
The statement above that this budget “maintains funding for the cultural sector into 2023-2024” will be seen by many as stretching reality to breaking point. A significant uplift within the portfolio for Migration Services, and some Major Events in the coming year (sporting), as well as HES’ increase are the only potential positives in a portfolio which ultimately sees an overall reduction of more than 6%. (Sitting within the Finance & Economy portfolio we note that Tourism spending plans reduce slightly; perhaps reflecting both the level of current uncertainty, and the need for uplift in other areas.)
For additional comment in relation to cultural spend, please see the initial statement from Culture Counts. Creative Scotland produced the following statement on 19th December, detailing what steps and impacts their budget cut will have on their funding in the coming year. And, this response from the Scottish Tourism Alliance was also recently released. For comment on the wider third sector impacts, please see SCVO’s budget briefing. Further draft budget figures across culture and the built environment have been compiled in a table below.
The Planning Budget’s decrease on 2022-2023 figures seems exceptionally disappointing in the face of the continued and sustained activity in this area, particularly the forthcoming delivery of the National Planning Framework 4. This decrease can be meaningly put within the context given by RTPI Scotland’s research briefing, Resourcing the Planning Service (updated December 2022).
A significant increase in the Registers of Scotland budget is positive, but all uplift appears to be Capital specific to the Moveable Transactions Bill and developing the two registers that underpin that work. This does not suggest that further (necessary) development of access to building data (such as through ScotLIS) will progress in the timeframes many of us would advocate. Without access to data about our existing housing stock, delivering net zero will be an almost impossible task.
The continued increase in Cities & Investment Strategy is a positive sign if applied meaningfully across Scotland’s places. An increase is also seen in this budget for City Region and Growth Deals in Local Authority budgets, rising from £7.2M last year to £12.7M for the coming year. These increases may be balanced by a substantial reduction in the Regeneration Budget from £96.4M for 2022 to £59.2M, the description provided of “Reduction due to changing spend profiles of programmes/projects” sounds euphemistic at best.
An area not previously examined within BEFS brief budget analysis statements has been the position of the Scottish Funding Council and the Skills & Training budgets. Attention has been focused here recently, not just due to the needs in relation to skills necessary to maintain our existing buildings (and make them stronger contributors to net-zero); but also from the ‘culture wars’ in England putting pressure on courses (of all kinds) which are not perceived to be as beneficial in terms of either their cost/entry numbers, or graduate employment prospects (often judged by salary). Both budget lines don’t necessarily paint a positive picture. Scottish Funding Council receives only a 2% increase and the total Skills & Training budget reduces by 3.6%, with Skills Development Scotland (within that total) facing a 4.3% cut.
Within the Local Government Funding outwith Core Settlement (p52) we can see that the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) remained static. However, the Vacant & Derelict Land programme doubles to £10M. Further thinking around Local Government funding has been produced by COSLA who have produced both a statement and, a #BudgetReality document demonstrating the real world cuts they see within the Scottish Government budget. Funding within the Local Authority budget impacts a wide range of built environment areas, from educational visits and school subjects taught, to maintenance of local authority properties, and everything in between.
This budget “takes further steps to address the deep inequalities in our society as we seek to eradicate child poverty in Scotland. It delivers on the need to create a wellbeing economy and a just transition to Net Zero, creating wealth and opportunity across the country. And it provides the impetus to reforms necessary to ensure that our first?class public services remain sustainable in the face of the challenges to come.” (p.3) All worthy aims, particularly within fiscally constrained times. When considering net-zero specifically, the Climate Action & Just Transition fund sees another substantial increase rising from £49.1M last year, to £79.5M.
However, with so many competing pressures, and so much uncertainty around cost-of-living, energy prices, inflation, and the continuing war in Ukraine, how the implications of these budget decisions will also enable communities and our existing places to flourish, as well as enable the rich cultural lives and experiences which are often touted as being integral to life within Scotland, and an attraction to Scotland, will remain to be seen.
| 2019-2020 Budget | 2020-2021 Budget | 2021-2022 Budget | 2022-2023 Budget | 2023-2024 Budget | |
| £m | £m | £m | £m | £m | |
| Architecture and Place | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Building Standards | 0.9 | 2 | 16.7 | 11.8 | 31.3 |
| Planning | 6.5 | 8.3 | 11.5 | 13.7 | 12.3 |
| Planning and Environmental Appeals | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| More Homes | 788.7 | 896.1 | 748.1 | 744.3 | 567.5 |
| Registers of Scotland | – | 12.4 | 11.2 | 8.5 | 10.4 |
| Fuel Poverty/Energy Efficiency | 119.6 | 135.2 | 187.7 | 194.3 | 231.1 |
| Cities & Investment Strategy | – | 205.6 | 209.8 | 233.2 | 263.2 |
| Regeneration | 42.3 | 47.4 | 111.6 | 96.4 | 59.2 |
| Vacant and Derelict Land Grant | 11.4 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 |
| Creative Scotland and Other Arts | 66 | 67.3 | 63.2 | 69.3 | 64.2 |
| Cultural Collections | 74.6 | 79.2 | 75.7 | 90 | 87.9 |
| Major Events and Themed Years | 16.8 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 18.2 | 24.2 |
| Culture and Major Events Staffing | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| National Performing Companies | 22.9 | 22.9 | 22.9 | 22.9 | 22.9 |
| National Parks | 13.4 | 13.9 | 17.5 | 18.5 | 20.9 |
| Natural Resources, Peatland (and Flooding not 2023) | 4.6 | 29.7 | 44.1 | 56.4 | 60.7 |
| Scottish Environmental Protection Agency | 34.4 | 37.1 | 43.5 | 41.4 | 49.0 |
| NatureScot | 46.5 | 49.1 | 50.2 | 49.6 | 61.1 |
| Zero Waste | 20.5 | 16.5 | 40.2 | 43.4 | 47.4 |
| Land Reform | 15.6 | 15 | 14.9 | 12.3 | 13.9 |
| Tourism | – | 50.6 | 65.1 | 51.2 | 49.4 |
| Climate Acton & Just Transition | – | 28.7 | 29.8 | 49.1 | 79.5 |
| Scottish Land Commission | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| City Region and Growth Deals | – | 3.8 | 11.2 | 7.2 | 12.7 |
| Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company | – | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| …………………………………………………………………………….Capital | |||||
| Capital Land and Works | 22 | 22 | 18.9 | 15.0 | |
| City Region and Growth Deals | 201 | 198.1 | 226 | 191.3 | |
| Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) | 55 | 58 | 64 | 64.0 | |
| Regeneration Capital Grant Fund | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25.0 | |
| Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme | – | 5 | 5 | 10.0 | |
| Place Based Investment Programme (was Place, Town Centres and 20 Minute Neighbourhoods) | – | 23 | 33 | 23.0 |
Wider financial analysis prior to the Budget being released was produced by the Fraser of Allander Institute.
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Hazel Johnson, Policy & Strategy Manager provides a brief overview of the revised draft National Planning Framework (NPF4) published last week.
Whilst more time is needed to do a thorough deep dive into the draft, a first read presents much to be celebrated.
Context:
In responding to the consultation on the initial draft at the start of the year, BEFS view – which was shaped by contributions from across the sector – was that the document contained significant omissions, such as references to key documents and policies for the historic environment, as well as the clear list of benefits that the historic environment assets deliver across multiple policy areas and towards Scotland’s national outcomes. Further, there was seen to be a lack of read across to the Local Development Planning Regulations and Guidance, in particular with regards to planning decisions that impact the existing and historic built environment.
There was also concern that the rapidity of the consultation and redrafting process – with consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny running simultaneously and not sequentially – would not allow for views and comments submitted as part of the consultation process to be fully taken into account. BEFS response can be found here.
As such, it should be noted – and applauded – that much of the feedback provided by the sector is recognisable within the revised draft.
The draft revised NPF4 – overview:
When eventually adopted NPF4 will replace NPF3 (2014) and Scottish Planning Policy (2014) and will therefore be part of the statutory development plan for any given area, along with the relevant Local Development Plans.
‘This creates a spatial framework for decision making that will support the delivery of a wide range of strategic priorities. In particular, climate change, nature recovery, inclusive growth, the wellbeing economy and child poverty have shaped the approach.’
Tackling the climate and nature crises, through climate mitigation and adaptation, sits front and centre within the policies in the draft. The revised draft NPF4 represents a significant landmark in recognising the role of the historic environment in tackling climate change; historic environment assets sit within Sustainable Places. Policy specifically advocating the re-use of existing buildings, capitalising on the embodied energy present within them, shows an explicit recognition of how the existing built environment is a central asset in reaching net zero – in particular, Policy 9 d) ‘Development proposals for the use of existing buildings will be supported, taking in to account their suitability for conversion to other uses. Given the need to conserve embodied energy, demolition will be regarded as the least preferred action.’
Part 1 – A National Spatial Strategy for Scotland introduces the main National Planning Policy areas: Sustainable Places, Liveable Places and Productive Places (Distinctive Places from the initial draft has been done away with as a separate policy area).
Care has been taken to show how these are all linked; particularly useful is the overview at the end of each introductory section clearly outlining the cross-cutting outcomes and policy links. This goes some way to addressing previous concerns that the historic and existing built environment sit distinct and therefore not fully integrated.
This section also includes details contained within
- National Spatial Strategy (Map)
- National Developments (Map)
- Regional Spatial Priorities
Part 2 – National Planning Policy details the individual policies within Sustainable, Liveable and Productive Places.
Further clarity is given in Part 2 by a new addition to the draft which provides an overview upfront of the policy intent and outcomes attached to the individual policies, alongside LDP requirements to support local decision making.
Issues around omissions of references to other key strategies, such as Housing 2040, have been largely addressed – and the impression is of a document aware of the wider policy landscape within which it sits.
For those that are still to sit down and fully take in Policy 7 – Historic Assets and Places, an overview is included here:
Policy Intent:
To protect and enhance historic environment assets and places, and to enable positive change as a catalyst for the regeneration of places.
Policy Outcomes:
- The historic environment is valued, protected, and enhanced, supporting the transition to net zero and ensuring assets are resilient to current and future impacts of climate change.
- Redundant or neglected historic buildings are brought back into sustainable and productive uses.
- Recognise the social, environmental and economic value of the historic environment, to our economy and cultural identity.
The list of Policy connections included with each individual policy is a practical – and illustrative – approach to identifying just how integrated the various policies are. In the case of Policy 7, the list is long with the historic environment present or referred to in:
- Tackling the climate and nature crises
- Climate mitigation and adaptation
- Natural places
- Forestry, woodland and trees
- Green belts
- Brownfield, vacant and derelict land and empty buildings
- Coastal development
- Energy
- Design, quality and place
- Local Living and 20 minute neighbourhoods
- Infrastructure first
- Quality homes
- Rural homes
- Blue and green infrastructure
- Flood risk and water management
- Digital infrastructure
- Community wealth building
- City, town, local and commercial centres
- Rural development
- Tourism
- Culture and creativity
Reference to proposals needing to be informed by national policy and guidance on managing change in the historic environment and the Historic Environment Record (HERs) will be welcomed by many, as will the updated language around potential impact, and strong wording on demolition and the criterion for retention, re-use and/or adaptation.
In summary, first impressions show the revised draft to be a much more accessible and useable document, that seeks to draw clear lines of sight to its own internal policy alignment but also with key external policies and strategies. Efficient use of existing resources is a recurring theme, placing the protection and enhancement of the historic environment centrally within what makes good places.
Delivery:
Alongside the revised draft NPF4, a Delivery Plan detailing short and medium term actions for 2023 post adoption, has also been published. The aim is for the Delivery Programme to initially be reviewed and updated six months following adoption, and then annually.
Some key takeaways are the focus on successful collaboration and a requirement for clear governance, and the Delivery Programme provides an overview of actions to be taken to support the delivery of NPF4:
- governance and collaboration;
- delivery mechanisms;
- infrastructure funding and finance;
- skills and resources; and
- monitoring and evaluation.
This includes the creation of a new a new Planning, Infrastructure and Place Advisory Group:
‘…a cross-cutting external stakeholder group whose primary focus will be to strengthen the alignment of NPF4, the Place Based Investment Programme and infrastructure investment. Specifically in relation to NPF4, the remit will be to oversee and advise on the delivery of the spatial strategy, National Developments and national planning policy.
Read the full Delivery Plan here.
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Hazel Johnson, Policy & Strategy Manager highlights the role of the historic environment in the new bill, A Vision for Scottish Agriculture.
Views are being sought on a new Agriculture Bill which will underpin Scottish agricultural policy for years to come.
BEFS is hearing from the sector that the proposed new bill fails to recognise the contribution of the historic environment. This lack of recognition of the role of the historic environment, and any connection to existing historic environment polices and guidance, is a missed opportunity.
Farmers, crofters and land managers look after a significant amount of our archaeological heritage and built historic environment, such as the drystone walls, hedgerows and historic rural buildings that give our countryside it’s character.
The existing and historic built environment, whilst often recognised in part, frequently lacks full integration within other national policies; it delivers ecosystems services benefits including habitats, carbon retention and supporting soil health. We know that existing buildings and infrastructure are positive solutions across a variety of policy areas, they should not sit separately.
The Proposal
The Scottish Government is proposing to align Scottish agricultural funding with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy objectives, which include the management of landscapes and of landscape features. However, the consultation paper is silent on the contribution of the historic environment. Any modern system of agricultural payments should recognise both the importance of the historic environment and incentivise farmers to look after it to ensure that, through good management, it can continue to benefit people now and in the future.
If we don’t at least maintain the current system for farm payments, where some funding is channelled towards heritage projects and general stewardship, this will be detrimental over the long term.
However, there is scope to do much more by including the historic environment – designated and undesignated – on the face of the bill, and to raise the profile of the historic environment at this early stage of the legislative process.
An example of what can be achieved is set by Wales, in their recent agricultural bill.
The consultation closes on the 21st of November.
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BEFS film Heritage & Sustainability was launched at the Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival 2021
When 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already here, how do the long-term needs of our environment fit with the changing use of our places? A new film launched during Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival 2021 explores how our historic buildings can be valuable – and sustainable – assets for the future.
Join Hazel Johnson, BEFS Policy and Strategy Manager, for a walk down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile as she explores how the buildings and places that make up part of the Old Town of Edinburgh play an important role in the city’s sustainable future. Stopping at key sites along the route, we find out how the historic buildings, civic sites, homes, neighbourhoods, and green spaces, all contribute towards environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability.
We’re joined along the way by special guests:
Gordon Barr, Architectural Heritage Fund Scotland
Gordon uses the spectacular example of Riddle’s Court, restored with help from the Architectural Heritage Fund, to show how finding continual new uses for old buildings can ensure their longevity.
Euan Leitch, SURF
Euan from SURF discusses what makes good placemaking – and the phenomenon of the 20 Minute Neighbourhood, where people can meet their daily needs within easy access from the place they live.
Mike Heffron, Under One Roof
Maintaining shared buildings can feel like a challenge, but Mike from Under one Roof explains why keeping your tenement in good condition not only keeps them warm and dry, but sustainable too.
Ailsa Macfarlane, BEFS
Can buildings be part of the Circular Economy? Ailsa explores why we need complementary policymaking for the built environment to deliver a planned, proactive approach to the places we live, work, and visit. You can read the Joint Statement mentioned here, or have a look at our Advocacy Toolkit for how you can get involved in polices affecting your own places.
Christina Sinclair, Edinburgh World Heritage
Christina from Edinburgh World Heritage introduces us to the award-winning retrofitting project to make the B listed Canongate Housing Development, designed by Sir Basil Spence, more energy efficient.
BEFS extends thanks to all the collaborators who made the film possible, freely giving of their time and expertise. Of particular note are those we hear from during the film – as well as John McKinney from Scottish Traditional Building Forum for the inception idea, and Tyler Lott Johnston from the Edinburgh Traditional Building Forum.
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NLHF are recruiting for one new Scotland Committee member
NLHF are recruiting for two new Committee members (one for Scotland) and particularly welcome knowledge and experience of museums and visitor attractions, as well as community heritage including young people and excluded audiences.
NLHF want their funding to be more inclusive and the Committee to be representative of wider society. NLHF are particularly encouraging applications from underrepresented groups such as people from black, Asian and diverse ethnic backgrounds, people who identify as disabled or with long-term health conditions, people who identify as LGBTQ+ or people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
The role has an annual salary of £3,000 plus expenses.
You can find out more about this opportunity through NLHF’s Twitter Q&A on 27th July 1-2pm, and a ‘Meet and Greet’ with the Scotland Committee Chair and Director on 3rd August 1:30 – 2:30pm.
“Being able to see the scope of exciting, clever projects out there and meet some of those passionate activists for their communities has been energising and fills me with hope for the future.”
– Liz Davidson, Committee member for Scotland
More about Board and Committee opportunities with NLHF can be found here.
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RTPI – Scottish Executive Committee vacancies for 2022
RTPI are looking for members for their Scottish Executive Committee.
Nominations are being sought for RTPI elections 2021 – including the Scottish Executive Committee vacancies for 2022.
Information and nomination forms are available on the RTPI website
Vacancies for 2022 – Scottish Executive Committee
- Junior Vice Convenor (2022)
- 3 Executive Committee Chartered Members (2022 and 2023)
- 2 Executive Committee Student/ Licentiate Members (2022)
- 1 Executive Committee Associate Member (2022)
Nominations close at 5:00pm on Wednesday 28 July 2021.
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BEFS overview of Cabinet Secretary & Ministerial changes relevant to the built and historic environment sector.
Now the dust is starting to settle and those coming into the Scottish Parliament, whether as returnees, or new entrants, are beginning to get to grips with the task ahead of them, BEFS welcomes all those entering into public service within the Scottish Parliament.
We’d suggest both that BEFS Members and interested readers alike consider both the Manifesto overview produced prior to the elections and BEFS Advocacy toolkit. If you’ve got a point to advocate on, a case to make, or a success to celebrate this information can direct you to which party might be most interested, and who is representing the appropriate local area. And with the local area in mind, I’d also recommend the new SPICe Constituency Dashboard which provides excellent constituency level data and information.
How parties ‘did’ for positive or negative is a value judgement left to (many) other commentators, BEFS concern is how our existing built and historic environment can be represented in the coming years.
In summary the parties within the Scottish Parliament are represented across the 129 MSPs as follows:
- Scottish National Party – 64 MSPs – Leader, Nicola Sturgeon
- Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party – 31 MSPs – Leader, Douglas Ross
- Scottish Labour – 22 MSPs – Leader, Anas Sarwar
- Scottish Green Party – 7 MSPs – Leaders, Patrick Harvie & Lorna Slater
- Scottish Liberal Democrats – 4 MSPs – Leader, Willie Rennie
- No Affiliation – 1 MSP – Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone
The changes to numbers of MSPs per party since the 2016 election have been relatively minor, but those minor changes to numbers have reduced the Liberal Democrat voice as they will no longer have the right to representation on Committees, or a guaranteed question at First Minister’s questions. The pro-devolution stance of the Green Party, as well as their increase in MSPs, implies their voice may carry additional clout within this parliament as the SNP doesn’t hold a majority, and the Greens and SNP have worked together before.
There are substantial changes across the Cabinet. Not only in the reduction of Cabinet Secretary roles, two fewer than previously, but with the rearrangement of many portfolios.
It’s all change for Culture with a new lead in the form of Angus Robertson, he finds an altered brief which partially echoes the role as it was in 2009-2020, where Economy, Fair Work and Culture sat most recently, we how have: Constitution, External Affairs and Culture. This broad portfolio is now supported by Jenny Gilruth, Minister adding Culture, to the Europe and International Development brief she held previously.
Whilst much of the detail is still to be revealed, but we might assume that ‘Culture’ still includes, as it did previously: creative industries / culture / architecture and built heritage / broadcasting / co-ordination of bringing major events to Scotland, and National Records.
Tourism: where previously there was a Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for Tourism and Rural Affairs, there has been a significant change, Tourism now sits within a busy Ministerial portfolio (Ivan McKee) including it with Business, Trade, and Enterprise. A move the industry itself will be better placed to comment upon directly; but perhaps one indicating the scale of financial impact felt from tourism and related industries contraction during the covid pandemic.
Environment ,in its broad description now has no Cabinet Secretary post, but is within the remit of two Ministers, with indications of cross portfolio working as seen in the details below. Land Reform follows the same pattern. Climate change also loses a Cabinet Secretary – but it could be assumed that this is to an extent replaced by new description within Michael Matheson’s role relating to Net Zero, Energy and Transport.
Skills: There is renewed potential for skills relating to the built environment to be seen as complementary to the work towards Net Zero as within Michael Matheson’s portfolio there is a new Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work (Richard Lochhead), who will also work cross-portfolio with Finance.
Housing, a matter close to BEFS work over the last few years, seems to have received a promotion – making it into the headlines for Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government. Interestingly, it has been de-coupled from Planning (an area where much implementation is still due to occur, not least Local Place Plans) – which finds itself in the Ministerial portfolio of Tom Arthur sharing space with Public Finance and Community Wealth (overseen by Kate Forbes). This raises initial questions as to whether, within this framework, planning is seen as fiscal, rather than spatial?
Cabinet and related Ministerial posts are as follows:
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon
- Minister for Drugs Policy, Angela Constance
John Swinney – Deputy First Minister & Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery
(with numerous responsibilities, but only those with a more direct connection to the built/historic environment highlighted below)
- Government strategy
- Cross government coordination of Covid Recovery policies
- Delivery and outcomes across portfolios
- Public service reform
- Cross government co-ordination on UN treaty incorporation
- National Performance Framework
- Local governance review and democratic renewal
- Minister for Parliamentary Business, George Adam
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, Kate Forbes
- Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work (who will also work alongside the Net Zero Secretary), Richard Lochhead
- Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee
- Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth, Tom Arthur
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf
- Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport, Maree Todd
- Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville
- Minister for Children and Young People, Clare Haughey
- Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training, Jamie Hepburn
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Michael Matheson
- Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform (who will also work alongside the Rural Affairs Secretary), Màiri McAllan
- Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work (who will also work alongside the Finance Secretary), Richard Lochhead
- Minister for Transport, Graeme Dey
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon
- Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform (who will also work alongside the Net Zero Secretary), Màiri McAllan
Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Keith Brown
- Minister for Community Safety, Ash Denham
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, Shona Robison
- Minister for Equalities and Older People, Christina McKelvie
- Minister for Social Security and Local Government, Ben McPherson
Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson
- Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, Jenny Gilruth
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IHBC introduces Heritage MarketPlace as a forum for professional, community, trust and amenity bodies to benefit from a wide range of outreach opportunities.
Connecting the community and cultural stakeholders with those in practice is a core objective shared by BEFS and the IHBC. The IHBC’s charitable role, as the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, means we have conservation outcomes as our primary charitable objective. For that to be effective, we know we have to connect our members with all the players – communities, charities and volunteer – as much as with clients and practitioners.
As co-founder and first Treasurer of BEFS I have long been aware of the challenges faced in such ambitions. The legacy of polarisation across so much heritage sector engagement – originating in the historic planning model that relies on ‘objections’ to manage inappropriate change – means there is sometimes little opportunity to secure common understanding. BEFS works to bridge that gap, as does the IHBC. For us our virtual conference – which this year includes our virtual ‘Heritage MarketPlace’ and ‘Stallholder Listing’- is designed to offer a whole new bridging strategy.
We were inspired by the familiar marketplace or exhibition hall, but with ‘virtual stalls’. Here, though, we’ve innovated, and made ‘learning’ a priority, in its broadest sense; whilst still including networking and understanding, as well as services. IHBC MarketPlace stalls can tie their content to a wide range of outreach – education, information, showcasing services, as well as highlighting priorities for planning, or promoting advocacy or membership benefits. In the MarketPlace, any organisation or individual (quality assured by the IHBC) can engage directly with delegates and IHBC Members on matters of mutual interest. Each stall also gets its own Social Media digital networking link – their MarketPlace Billboard. To see what that might look like, the IHBC’s can be seen here.
As the MarketPlace engagement happens in the shared environment of conference discourse – not the potentially siloed setting of casework, regulation or planning – it offers a real chance to share perspectives and build a common awareness, and mutual understanding. That is not the only solution to divergences in our heritage world, but it may well help.
Historically, the barrier to such experiences has been the fees. But now, the ‘virtual’ world with which we have all become so familiar (perhaps currently too familiar) offers the potential for more equitable access. The unavoidable costs of live events almost disappear in virtual environments, so specialists, communities and volunteers can participate, together, and on a more level playing field, without the ‘cheque book’ drawing demarcations. With this in mind the IHBC’s conference costs, benefitting from the light infrastructure of virtual environments, are kept as low as possible to encourage participation across all players. Costs that are intended to remove some of the barriers to active participation in the kind of inclusive discussion we want to promote. (About £25+VAT for day delegates, and about £100+VAT for stalls offering sector-wide outreach.)
That agenda of inclusion is encapsulated in the School’s title – linking history, people and places. It is not our only strategy though: that aspiration to connecting conservation is also represented in the IHBC’s next issue of the our membership journal Context. Context is always available free online, but in the next issue we highlight how people across community, voluntary, public and private sector roles can actually maximise the ‘public good’ and amenity on offer in our places. Do keep an eye out for it on the IHBC website.
But for now, our 2021 School MarketPlace is the location and platform we are offering for affordable and accessible engagement and outreach beyond the well-trodden, often siloed, terrain of planning, consultations and individual policy perspectives. Many organisation are on board, BEFS included (BEFS note that their place at the Conference is funded by BEFS, but thank the IHBC for a complimentary Marketplace Stall in return for offering to share this topic with Bulletin readers). But, if hosting a stall is not for you, why not enhance your personal capacity to make a difference by contributing to discussions as a School delegate, and connect better in the future by hearing what others are saying today!
From: Seán O’Reilly, Director IHBC
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BEFS welcomes new Director Ailsa Macfarlane into post this week.
BEFS is delighted to welcome new Director Ailsa Macfarlane into post this week. Ailsa succeeds Euan Leitch who is taking up a new role as Chief Executive of SURF.
Ailsa, who first joined BEFS as Policy & Strategy Manager in 2017, previously managed the Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage project and worked for Museums Galleries Scotland. Coming from a cultural-heritage project management background, Ailsa has wide-ranging experience with partnership working and stakeholder collaboration across Scotland. She is widely respected throughout Scotland’s built environment sector, having delivered a strong programme of strategic policy work during her time with BEFS. This has included BEFS work on the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, Prioritisation work (informing the Sustainable Investment Toolkit on behalf of the OPiT Built Heritage Investment Group), and leading on sector responses to the COVID-19 crisis, through the COVID Historic Environment Resilience Forum.
The appointment was made by BEFS Board and BEFS Chair, Iain McDowall, said:
“The Board of BEFS are delighted to welcome Ailsa Macfarlane as the new Director. It was an extremely easy and unanimous decision by the Board and is clearly welcomed by any who know Ailsa and her work. We look forward to working with her in her new role, as BEFS continues to address the many challenges facing the sector.”
Director, Ailsa Macfarlane, said:
“It gives me great pleasure to be continuing BEFS collaborative and partnership based approach; making sure the sector is well represented, well understood, and evidencing delivery across nationwide strategies and national performance frameworks. None of this would be possible without the knowledge and support of the Board, BEFS Members, and the amazing staff team.”
Outgoing Director, Euan Leitch, said:
“Ailsa has been an excellent Policy & Advocacy Manager and I couldn’t be happier to pass the BEFS baton on to her. I’m really looking forward, now as an Associate Member, to seeing where Ailsa and the team take BEFS next, it can only be better.”
Further information on Ailsa Macfarlane’s background can be found here.
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