BEFS Bulletin – Improving Tenement Maintenance

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BEFS News

The cross party Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance published interim recommendations last week that it sees as central to improving how owners maintain communal property. The recommendations include statutory:
•    property inspections,
•    owner associations,
•    sinking funds.
The working group is seeking responses by 27th February 2019  with full details of the interim recommendations and how to respond here.

In December BEFS held a workshop with individuals from across the heritage sector who had responded to our earlier call for ideas on prioritisation. The follow up event, open to all, will be on Monday 25th February at the Scottish Story Telling Centre in Edinburgh. We plan on sharing the findings of the workshop, update on how it complements the Our Place in Time – Built Heritage Investment Plan Group and look at one organisational prioritisation matrix. Booking details here.

Historic Environment Scotland has opened a consultation on its Designations and Scheduled Monuments Policy. BEFS Membership will be examining this along with the consultation on Demolition, Use and Adaptation of Listed Buildings guidance in early February.

In September 2018 BEFS responded to the Scottish Government Culture Strategy consultation. On 23/01/2019 the Scottish Government released a number of publications analysing the responses to the 2018 consultation. Full details can be found here.

Early in the summer of 2018 BEFS Members, SCAPE, were part of the project ‘Learning From Loss’ which examined the impacts of climate change on heritage and the interface with local communities. They have now published papers and an excellent short film. You can find both here.

The Planning (Scotland) Bill will give communities the right to develop proposals for the development and use of land through a new type of plan, known as a Local Place Plan. PAS have designed a short survey to gather views on what support communities would like to see and what barriers they believe would stop them taking part.

Greenspace Scotland are seeking professionals in the natural/built environment and youth work sector to form a Scotland-wide Skills Bank to support the Young Placechangers programme. As a member of the Advisory Board, BEFS would recommend taking the opportunity to join as a Skills Bank member. Deadline for applications is: 5pm 11 February 2019

BEFS Trustee and Director of Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication at Heriot-Watt University, Ian Baxter has blogged in response to BEFS recent workshop on prioritisation. It is a thought provoking piece discussing the need to proactively put ourselves in others’ shoes and asking if behaviour change is the heritage sector’s next strategic challenge.

In our second blog, Bill Pagan, BEFS Trustee and a founder of the Cupar Development Trust, provides an update on activities in the town following the 2017 charrette with interesting details on being a pilot Digital Improvement District.

Finally, if you have been keeping up with some of the online chatter about different approaches to heritage you might find this podcast on of interest.

Consultations

Scotland’s Construction Sector Inquiry – Call for Views
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee is seeking views on the construction sector in Scotland.
The closing date for receipt of submissions is Wednesday 13 February 2019

Consultation on Scottish Charity Law
Opened 7 Jan 2019. Closes 1 Apr 2019

Consultation on Principles and Practice for Designation and Scheduled Monument Policy and Procedures (HES)
Deadline: 6pm on Tuesday 19 February 2019

Demolition of Listed Buildings and The Use and Adaptation of Listed Buildings (HES)
Deadline: 6pm on Friday 15 February 2019

Consultation Responses

Building Standards Compliance and Fire Safety Consultation Analysis Report

A Culture Strategy for Scotland Responses

Publications

The Finance & Constitution Committee Report on Subordinate Legislation: The Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Tax Rates and Tax Bands Etc) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 (SG 21/01/19)

Architecture and Design Scotland’s Annual Review (A&DS 18/01/19)

Planning, Economy, Place Literature Review (SG 17/01/19)

Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: second cost optimal assessment (MHCLG 14/01/19)

Building for our future: A vision for social housing (Shelter 08/01/19)

Marine Protected Area Network – 2018 Report to the Scottish Parliament (SG 21/12/18)

Review of Tenancy Deposit Schemes in Scotland (SG 21/12/18)

Guidance for public bodies covering the purchase of products or services where heritage is an issue of concern (SG 19/12/18)

Launch of a new strategic framework for heritage science (NHSF 05/12/18)

Scottish Government News Releases

Boost for Tay cities region (SG 07/01/19)
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed £40 million will be invested in the new road, which will link the A9 over the River Tay to the A93 and A94 north of Scone, reducing congestion in Perth and opening up sites for housing and economic development.

Less Favoured Areas scheme (SG 07/01/19)
Hill farmers and crofters in Scotland’s most remote areas will continue to receive assistance under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) into 2020.

News Releases

GovTech Catalyst funding secured (SNH 22/01/19)
An innovative project that will help improve planning around Scotland’s most valuable natural sites has secured funding of up to £1.25 million. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been granted the award through the UK-wide GovTech Catalyst Challenge to develop a new online service for protected areas.

IHBC Marsh Awards (IHBC 15/01/19)
Submissions are open for the IHBC Marsh Award ‘Successful Learning in Heritage Skills’. The award is designed to recognise the contribution of an individual for their significant learning in traditional building activities and craft skills. Deadline: 28 February 2019

Architecture Fringe 2019 – Open Call pack (AF 09/01/19)
The Architecture Fringe 2019 Open Call is now open for confirmed submissions to the 2019 Open Programme. You can submit your events, projects, exhibitions and happenings using the button below. The Open Call closes for confirmed submissions at 12 noon on Monday 8th April 2019

Shelter Report: RICS backs findings as starting point (RICS 08/01/19)
RICS believe the Shelter report recommendations must be picked up and driven forward by government. RICS has long called for more government resources to improve the housing sector, including more awareness and oversight at ministerial level, a national organisation to keep plans on track, and an independent ombudsman service to ensure fairness.

23 Remarkable Places Listed in 2018 (HE 20/12/18)
A former lifeboat house in Essex, two Rolls Royce testing hangars in Nottingham and a thatched memorial bus shelter in Dorset are among our highlights of the places listed in 2018

The My Place Awards and My Place Photography Competition 2019 (SCT)
The Scottish Civic Trust are delighted to announce the launch of their new My Place Scotland website. Entries for both the My Place Awards and My Place Photography Competition 2019 can now be made online. The closing date for both is Friday 22 February 2019

Place Value Wiki call for submissions
Place Value Wiki is a collaborative platform for anyone interested in the empirical links between aspects of place quality and aspects of place value.

Opinion & Comment

Handling Scotland’s derelict sites (James Simpson & Ian Hood, Scotsman 06/01/19)

Scotland’s proposed new Rights Act and land reform (SLC 11/12/18)

Dundee: Think global, act local (Design Council 11/12/18)

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”.

Question S5W-20977: Bill Bowman, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 14/01/2019
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish details of its proposed town centres fund, and what its position is on the Scottish Retail Consortium’s call for business improvement districts and other organisations to be eligible to bid for funding.

Question S5W-20978: Bill Bowman, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 14/01/2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Retail Consortium’s call for local authorities to be able to use a portion of the town centres fund for reducing non-domestic rates.

Events

Country house politics: negotiating boundaries between the public and the private
Date: Monday 28 January; 16.00
Venue: Board Room, Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication (Postgrad Centre Room 1.02, First floor)
Seminar organised jointly by Confucius Institute & Intercultural Research Centre
Speaker: Dr Ben Cowell, Director-General of Historic Houses

Sustainable Construction Launch: Meet & Greet with Sandy Halliday
Date: Thursday 31 January; 17.30– 19.00
Venue: RIAS Bookshop, 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH1 2BE
Come along to the RIAS Bookshop for a meet and greet with Sandy Halliday to celebrate the launch of Sustainable Construction (Second Edition). Sandy will give a short talk followed by a Q&A and book signing. Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the evening for the special discounted price of £32.99.

RSA Edinburgh Area: Shaping New Places Through the Human-Centred Smart City
Date: Tuesday 5 February; 18.00–19.45
Venue: Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation, Old High School, 12 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LZ
“How can the ‘Smart City’ be imagined as a place for people, where technology is servant, not master? How is the ‘Smart City’ understood by different cities internationally? How are wellbeing and human flourishing, climate change, inclusive growth, and other pressing agendas addressed through this concept? If not ‘smart’ then what would a city be?” These are the questions being addressed at the RSA Edinburgh Area Network re-launch in February.

Culture & Business Fund Scotland – Perth Roadshow
Date: Wednesday 6 February; 13.00-16.00; Evening Reception: 17.00-19.30
Venue:
Workshop-Perth Museum and Art Gallery, 78 George Street, Perth, PH1 5LB. Reception-Perth Theatre, 185 High Street, Perth PH1 5UW
The event will offer tips on developing creative partnerships with businesses, a detailed session on the application criteria and a Q&A to answer queries about the fund.  This afternoon workshop will be followed by an evening reception for businesses taking place at 5pm in Perth Theatre. The event will offer businesses information about CBFS and how partnerships with cultural organisations can bring significant social and economic impact for all involved.
To book your place at one or both of these events, contact: Events or call: 0131 556 3353.

The State Funeral and Heraldry of Mary Queen of Scots
Date & time: Monday 11 February (18.00-19.00) in Edinburgh, Tuesday 12 February (19.30-20.30) in Aberdeen
Venue: Monday in the National Museum Scotland auditorium, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF (use Lothian Street entrance); Tuesday in the Regent Building Lecture Theatre, Regent Walk, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX
Lecture by John Malden FSA Scot, President Heraldry Society of Scotland Royal Heraldry.

Preserving and Interpreting the Berlin Wall in a World of New Walls
Date & time: Wednesday 13th February; 18.00 (£6 – booking via website)
Venue: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling, FK8 1QZ
The Berlin Wall was the Icon of the Cold War, symbolising a divided world until its political fall in November 1989. Today, not much is left of the world famous155km structure.  Thanks to efforts initiated in December 1989, seven sections of the Wall and other border installations were listed and officially designated Historic Monuments by 1992. Today, the Berlin Wall Foundation is responsible for four prominent sites with a total of approximately 4 Million visitors a year. How are these precious physical remains being treated? What stories are being told, and what does the Berlin Wall stand for today?

Archaeological Science: looking to the future
Date & time: Monday 11 March (18.00-19.00) in Edinburgh, Tuesday 12 March (19.00-20.00) in Lerwick
Venue: Monday in the National Museum Scotland auditorium, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF (use Lothian Street entrance); Tuesday in the Shetland Museum and Archives, Hay’s Dock, Lerwick, ZE1 0WP
Lecture given by Dr Lisa Brown FSA Scot MCIfA, Archaeological Science Manager at Historic Environment Scotland.

Training

Business Briefing: Preparing Your Business for Audit (Edinburgh)
Date: Tuesday, 22 January 2019, Registration: 08.45 | Event 09.00-11.00
Venue: RSM, First Floor, Quay 2, 139 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 9QG
Cost: Free for Arts & Business Scotland members, £25 + VAT for non-members.
Audit is more than a grudge purchase! How to prepare for and get the most from your audit. All charities with over £500k of income require an external audit and RSM, as one of the leading UK charity auditors, are committed to helping the Charities sector to ensure it gets real value from external audit to help management and Trustees to fulfil their governance responsibilities. If you are a finance manager/ director or Trustee of a charity which requires an audit this session is for you.

A Guide to Tax for Arts & Heritage Organisations (Edinburgh)
Date: Wednesday, 23 January 2019, Registration: 12.30 | Event 13.00 – 16.30
Venue: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5EZ
Cost: Members. £55 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Arts & Heritage). £85 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Corporate). Non-Members: £85 + VAT for non-members (Arts & Heritage). £105 + VAT for non-members (Corporate)
This half-day seminar is a must for all financial or budget holding staff and anyone who wants to know how tax affects (and can benefit) arts and heritage organisations with charitable status in Scotland. The accompanying general tax guide provides a practical summary of the training and guidance on how tax affects the arts and heritage organisations.  The event and guide are also a great refresher and reference for those who need reminding of basic principles and want to know how different taxes interact with each other.

Legacies: How to Develop a Campaign and Secure Long-Term Financial Security
Date: Tuesday, 5 February 2019    Registration: 10.15 | Event 10.30 – 16.30
Venue: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5EZ
Cost: Members. £145 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Arts & Heritage); £195 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Corporate). Non-Members. £195 + VAT for non-members (Arts & Heritage); £245 + VAT for non-members (Corporate)
Legacies are the fastest growing source of income in the voluntary sector – up over 50% in the last ten years. Not just for big named charities, the fastest growing sector in this area of fundraising is the cultural sector, embracing both arts and heritage organisations. This course, specifically for the cultural sector in Scotland, has been created in partnership with and will be delivered by Richard Radcliffe who has over 30 years’ experience in helping non-profits grow legacy income.

Beyond The GDPR – How to Market and Fundraise Lawfully (Edinburgh)
Date: Thursday, 7 February 2019 Registration: 12.30 | Event 13.00 – 16.30
Venue: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5EZ
Cost: Members. £55 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Arts & Heritage); £85 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Corporate). Non-Members. £85 + VAT for non-members (Arts & Heritage); £105 + VAT for non-members (Corporate)
Laura Irvine, partner at Davidson Chalmers LLP, will provide an update on marketing, fundraising and data protection law. The activity around the GDPR and getting ready for implementation proved a significant challenge for cultural organisations and sometimes the approach taken was based on incorrect advice or pressure as some organisations dealt with databases issues. As the dust settles and as a new law, the ePrivacy Regulation is pending, this training day will be an opportunity to reflect on marketing and fundraising activities in a post-GDPR world. With ample opportunities to discuss the approach your organisation took and is now taking and to find out what the legal position is and is likely to be going forward. Book now for this new post- GDPR training event.

Sponsorship: Developing Creative Partnerships (Edinburgh)
Date: Tuesday, 26 February 2019. Registration: 10.15 | Event 10.30 – 16.30
Venue: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5EZ
Cost: Members. £95 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Arts & Heritage); £145 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Corporate). Non-Members. £145 + VAT for non-members (Arts & Heritage); £195 + VAT for non-members (Corporate)
This ‘how-to’ guide to sponsorship will take you through the key steps to sponsorship from attracting a business to nurturing and developing long lasting cultural and business partnerships. If you have little experience or just want a refresher on this area of fundraising, then this seminar is aimed to help you on your journey to sponsorship success. Peppered with sponsorship stories gathered from Arts & Business Scotland match funding programmes.

Telling It Like It Is – Effective Copywriting (Edinburgh)
Date: Wednesday, 27 February 2019 Registration: 10.15 | Event 10.30 – 16.30
Venue: Arts & Business Scotland, Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5EZ
Cost: Members. £95 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Arts & Heritage); £145 + VAT for Arts & Business Scotland members (Corporate). Non-Members. £145 + VAT for non-members (Arts & Heritage). £195 + VAT for non-members (Corporate)
This one-day training session is aimed at anyone looking to improve their copywriting skills to support their fund-raising activities. Offering a combination of project-based, hands-on writing exercises with tips, techniques and critical theory, the session explores the five stages of the copywriting process. While the training provides a specific focus on writing a case for support, the resulting learning can be applied to all kinds of fundraising communications.

Vacancies

Project Intern Officer – RTPI Scotland
A fantastic opportunity to work at RTPI Scotland in a crucial year for the Scottish planning system. An ideal role for any budding policy or planning professionals.
Application Deadline: Monday 28 January 2019

Building Repair (Grants) Manager – Glasgow City Heritage Trust
An exciting opportunity has become available for a professional to support the implementation of the Trust’s building repair grants programme for the benefit of all people living and working in and visiting Glasgow.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the Director Torsten Haak on: 0141 552 1331 for an informal discussion.
Application Deadline: Thursday 31 January 2019

Next Step Initiative is offering The Ethnic Minority Career Museum, & Built Environment Heritage Traineeships (With Bursary).
Applications are open for 7 full time 12-month accredited work-based placements in heritage management starting March 2018.
Training Bursary grant of £13,500 gross per annum.
Available Positions:
Conservation & Culture Traineeship x 1 (Edinburgh)
Museums & Galleries Traineeship x 2 (Edinburgh)
Technical Conservation Skills Traineeship x 2 (Stirling)
Museum and Heritage Traineeship x 2 (Glasgow)
Please see the following link for more information: Traineeships
If you have problems downloading the Application Pack, please email: Recruitment
Extended application deadline: Monday 4 February 2019 at 5pm

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