BEFS Bulletin 359: Parliamentary news, BARR, and a tribute to a sector colleague

BEFS NEWS

BEFS joins the sector in paying tribute to Barbara Cummins, chair of the Cockburn Association and previous Director of Heritage at Historic Environment Scotland. Barbara passed away at home on September 12, following a short illness. A passionate advocate for the role of planning in good place-making she will be very much missed by colleagues and friends.

The Members Debate on Tenements and Retrofit was held last week on 11/09, and can be watched here.
The debate was brought by Graham Simpson MSP, Chair of the Tenement Maintenance Working Group and saw cross party recognition for the recommendations of the industry report ‘Meeting Scotland’s Retrofit Challenge’ and also for those of the Tenement Maintenance Working Group. A full transcript of the debate can be read here. Topics covered Compulsory Owners’ Associations, VAT, Heat in Buildings Bill and the need for a fabric-first approach to retrofitting, improving the building envelope before installing new technology. BEFS was pleased to note Mr Simpson’s view that the work has been one of the best examples ‘that involved parties working together in Parliament, with outside experts, for the common good…we really should see more of that kind of thing’ and looks forward to supporting further activity in these important areas.

And on this topic – BEFS, alongside sector and industry partners met with the Minister for Climate Action earlier this week. The group, coordinated by CIOB, highlighted the cross-portfolio nature of retrofit and related skills, with future meetings planned.

Boosting Scotland’s planning system: Following the Scottish Government’s consultation on Investing in Planning in May this year, the Minister for Public Finance Ivan McKee has announced a new Planning Hub which aims to support planning authorities and to improve resourcing, skills and capacity. Hosted by the Improvement Service, the Hub’s initial focus will be on focus on hydrogen applications. Sarah Gadsden, Chief Executive, Improvement Service said:
“It is good to see the Scottish Government highlight the important role of planning in achieving net zero and their subsequent investment in building capacity in the sector. We are very pleased to host the hub as it complements the Improvement Service’s broader approach to supporting public service reform and the work of our National Planning Improvement team supporting planning authorities.”

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has unveiled plans for “A New Future for Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park”. This announcement signals potential changes to the management and accessibility of one of Edinburgh’s most iconic green spaces. BEFS members with an interest in urban heritage and public spaces may wish to follow these developments closely.

In case you missed it, earlier this month HES published a review of the Buildings at Risk Register (BARR), the register of historic buildings at risk in Scotland which is currently maintained by HES. Harlow Consultancy were commissioned to carry out a review of the BARR, focusing on ‘assessing its impact in bringing buildings back in to use in order to make evidence-based recommendations for its long-term future’. The finding of the report is that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the BARR has a significant impact in bringing buildings back into use. This has led to HES pausing the BARR in order to consider long-term options for its future. More information and the report can be found on HES website.

And finally, Scotland’s Climate Week will run from 23-29 September, providing a chance to celebrate and encourage climate action, and learn more about tackling climate change by sharing ‘Stories for Change’. Share your story using #ScotClimateWeek to help spark new ideas and inspire others to act.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

See our Link to Parliamentary Questions and answers for recent questions regarding housing, planning, climate change, land reform, cultural heritage and reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

CONSULTATIONS

Inquiry into skills policy
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee
This inquiry is focusing on the role of apprenticeships and in-work training in delivering the skills the UK economy needs for the future. The inquiry is examining whether the UK’s current systems and policies for apprenticeships and in-work training are working and, if not, how they should be reformed. In doing so, the inquiry is considering the responsibilities of Government, employers, training providers, and individuals, and the incentives facing these groups.
Closes 27 September 2024

Draft Tall Buildings Design Guide Consultation
Glasgow City Council
The Glasgow City Centre Strategic Development Framework (SDF), adopted in 2021, provides flexible urban design guidelines and suggests creating specific guidelines for tall buildings to assist developers and planners. For sustainable growth, these projects need to focus on quality and clear goals. To help with this, the Tall Building Design Guidance was created, offering advice for developers and planning officers to make the pre-application process smoother and ensure buildings are well-designed and appropriately located. This consultation covers the areas as defined by the City Centre SDF and welcomes views from members of the public, technical experts, and Strategic Partners on the impact of tall buildings in the city centre and ways to improve the city in this modern environment.
Closes 30 September 2024

Building Regulations: Determining the principles for a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard: Stage 1 consultation
Scottish Government
Scottish building regulations set minimum standards applicable to new buildings and to new work to existing buildings. This consultation is the first of two which will consider the technical, commercial and wider policy implications of improvements to building regulations in the context of broader action by the Scottish Government on climate change, to further our ambition of becoming a net-zero society by 2045.
Closes 23 October 2024

Calanais Standing Stones – Improving community, economic and conservation benefits
Historic Environment Scotland
This consultation focusses on potential changes to access and charging arrangements at Calanais Standing Stones. HES are working to deliver a new combined visitor experience at the site, in collaboration with the local community-led trust Urras nan Tursachan (UnT), who independently own, manage and operate the Calanais Standing Stones visitor centre. Further information on the visitor centre redevelopment can be found here.
Closes 31 October 2024

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Draft Scottish National Adaptation Plan 3 (SNAP3) 2024-29 – consultation analysis (Scot Gov 04/09/2024)

PETITIONS

Submission from the Scottish Government on PE2113: Provide support to RAAC-affected communities (Scot Parl 22/08/2024)

SPICe briefing regarding PE2105: Safeguard Scottish Listed Buildings at risk of unnecessary demolition (Scot Parl 04/09/2024)

NEWS RELEASES

Demolition safest option for RAAC-affected homes (Aberdeen City Council 21/08/2024)

House Price Index for August 2024 (Halifax September 2024)

VisitScotland appoints new Director of Marketing and Digital (VisitScotland 02/09/2024)

Review of Buildings at Risk Register published (HES 03/09/2024)

A New Future for Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park (HES 04/09/2024)

Programme for Government announcement: Creative Scotland response (Creative Scotland 04/09/2024)

NRS Chief Executive appointed (National Records of Scotland 12/09/2024)

7 Most Endangered Call for Nominations: Deadline extended to 30 September 2024 (Europa Nostra 12/09/2024)

PUBLICATIONS

Applying a retrofit and low-carbon technology archetype approach to buildings in Scotland (The University of Edinburgh 29/02/2024)

Multidimensional creativity as a mediator between cultural heritage and regional economic development in England (Historic England 19/08/2024)

Accelerating net zero delivery What can UK cities learn from around the world? (Centre for Cities September 2024)

Powering up planning: How the Planning System Builds Community Wealth (CLES 11/09/2024)

56 Degree Insight: Scottish Tourism Index – Summer edition (STA 12/09/2024)

Assessing the role of planning reform in meeting the Government’s housing targets (Resolution Foundation 12/09/2024)

2045: The Big Conversation – Conversations 8 – net zero heat & 9 – learning from Denmark (SEDA 12/09/2024)

SCOTTISH & UK: GOVERNMENTAL & PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

Recommendations from two Lived Experience Panels regarding consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 30/08/2024)

Climate change delivery: improvement report (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Developing Scotland’s Economy: Increasing The Role Of Inclusive And Democratic Business Models (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Short Term Lets in Scotland Licensing Scheme: Part 2. Supplementary Guidance for Licensing Authorities, Letting Agencies and Platforms (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Correspondence between Gillian Martin and the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee regarding climate change delivery (Scot Parl 03/09/2024)

Correspondence from the Scottish Human Rights Commission – written evidence to support the Stage 1 consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 03/09/2024)

Local Government, Housing and Planning: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Parl 03/09/2024)

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee report on the delegated powers contained in the Housing (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Fiscal pre-budget update: Cabinet Secretary for Finance (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Scottish Government Pre-Budget Fiscal Update: Letter to Finance Committee (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Urgent action taken to balance Budget (Scot Gov 03/09/2024)

Review of Creative Scotland (Scot Gov 04/09/2024)

Grenfell Tower Inquiry report: Letter to Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee (Scot Gov 04/09/2024)

Programme for Government: First Minister’s speech (Scot Gov 04/09/2024)

Programme for Government 2024-25: Serving Scotland (Scot Gov 04/09/2024)

Building and Fire Safety – Ministerial Working Group: Grenfell Inquiry phase 2 (Scot Gov 05/09/2024)

Climate Change Bill published (Scot Gov 05/09/2024)

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 05/09/2024)

Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland 2023: SG response (Scot Gov 05/09/2024)

The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 (Commencement) Regulations 2024 (UK Gov 05/09/2024)

Correspondence from the Scottish Human Rights Commission supporting the Stage 1 consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 05/09/2024)

Housing: Modern Methods of Construction [re traditional building skills] (House of Lords 05/09/2024)

Grey Belt inquiry launched by the Built Environment Committee (UK Parl 06/09/2024)

SPICe briefing: Climate Change (Emission Reductions Targets) (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 06/09/2024)

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill: island communities impact assessment (Scot Gov 06/09/2024)

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Bill: Fairer Scotland Duty statement (Scot Gov 06/09/2024)

Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets)(Scotland) Bill: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment (Scot Gov 06/09/2024)

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) across the public sector in Scotland (Scot Gov 09/09/2024)

Single Building Assessment programme: spending information (Scot Gov 09/09/2024)

Building and fire safety working group minutes: June 2024 (Scot Gov 09/09/2024)

SPICe Briefing: Local Government Finance (SPICe 09/09/2024)

Local Government, Housing and Planning: Official Report and Minutes (Scot Gov 10/09/2024)

Correspondence between the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee and Paul McLennan regarding the government’s amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 10/09/2024)

Retrofitting and Tenement Maintenance debate on motion S6M-14024 (Scot Parl 11/09/2024)

Growing Scotland’s net zero economy (Scot Gov 11/09/2024)

Proposals and appeals against non-domestic revaluations (Scot Gov 11/09/2024)

Building and Fire Safety Expert Working Group minutes: May 2024 (Scot Gov 11/09/2024)

Speaker’s Statement – full list of Westminster Committee chairs (UK Gov 11/09/2024)

Building Safety and Resilience Debate (UK Gov 11/09/2024)

Delegated powers in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 (Scot Parl 12/09/2024)

Programme for Government (Growing Scotland’s Green Economy) debate on motion S6M-14431 (Scot Parl 12/09/2024)

Correspondence between Gillian Martin and the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill (Scot Parl 12/09/2024)

Scottish Islands Survey 2023: main findings report (Scot Gov 17/09/2023)

Public appointment: Member appointed to the Board of the Scottish Housing Regulator (Scot Gov 17/09/2024)

OPINION & COMMENT

Housing emergency declared in Aberdeen (BBC News 05/09/2024)

Local growth plans must reach City regions across the UK’s nations (Centre for Public Policy 05/09/2024)

New SNP housing law plans face ‘legal implications’ (The Herald 05/09/2024)

Consultation on tourist tax plan for Scottish Highlands (BBC News 05/09/2024)

Good Growth for Cities Index published (Demos-PwC 09/09/2024)

Scotland’s Human Rights Bill: A promise unfulfilled (Centre for Public Policy 09/09/2024)

Scottish councils facing £500m funding gap amid fears over cuts to services (The Scotsman 09/09/2024)

Scotland’s Levelling Up millions at risk (The Herald 12/09/2024)

Grenfell Inquiry Phase  2 Report: how it could affect the construction industry (Forsters LLP 16/09/2024)

MOTIONS

S6M-14300
Submitted by: Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 04/09/2024
That the Parliament welcomes the return of the Glasgow Doors Open Days festival, which will run from 16 to 22 September 2024; understands that the festival has been organised by Glasgow Building Preservation since it began in 1990 as part of the City of Culture celebrations, and that it is now in its 35th year; notes that the theme of this year’s festival is “We’re All Here: Diversity of Diaspora”, focusing, it understands, on how immigration and emigration have shaped Glasgow into the multicultural place that it is today and inviting people to explore how diaspora communities have influenced and contributed to Glasgow’s rich cultural heritage; notes that the week-long programme of events allows residents and visitors alike the opportunity to access open buildings, guided walks and talks, all for free, and wishes all involved in this popular festival all the best for its continued success.

S6M-14375
Submitted by: Gordon MacDonald, Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: 09/09/2024
That the Parliament congratulates the Scottish Traditional Building Forum on delivering the 12th Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival in August 2024; notes that the event focussed on sustainability of traditional buildings; recognises the efforts of the forum to celebrate Edinburgh’s traditional buildings, bringing together experts with the wider public, in order to demonstrate knowledge and skills across a whole spectrum of traditional construction skills; understands that the festival was a collaboration between Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, Historic Environment Scotland, Federation of Master Builders Scotland, the Stone Federation Great Britain, the British Geological Survey and Nevin Decorators; believes that this collaborative approach plays a vital role in widening the public’s understanding of the importance of maintaining Scotland’s traditional buildings with the right knowledge and skills, and thanks each of the organisations for their ongoing efforts to protect and maintain Scotland’s historic built environment.

S6M-14426
Submitted by: Emma Roddick, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: 10/09/2024
That the Parliament welcomes reports that doubling the council tax on second and long-term empty homes has contributed to an £8.6 million windfall for Highland Council; appreciates that this is in line with Scottish Government legislation, which allows local authorities to double the standard council tax charge for second homes; understands that Highland Council has reported a significant number of such houses moving back into permanent use; considers that, sadly, these figures demonstrate a large number of economically inactive homes in a region that also experiences high house prices and homelessness, particularly amongst young people; believes that encouraging the use of existing stock is an important step in tackling the housing emergency, by encouraging more houses to be used as homes, and encourages other local authorities to follow this lead and achieve similar benefits for their local communities.

S6M-14431
Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: 10/09/2024
That the Parliament recognises the actions outlined in the Programme for Government 2024-25 to grow the economy, eradicate child poverty, invest in Scotland’s public services, and tackle the climate and nature emergencies; welcomes the publication of the Green Industrial Strategy to ensure that Scotland and its communities benefit economically from the global transition to net zero, including the creation of good, well-paid jobs; acknowledges the need to translate Scotland’s strengths into competitive advantages in the global race; agrees that actions to promote investment, attract and develop a skilled workforce, support fair work and encourage innovation are essential for transforming Scotland’s economy, and recognises that, by laying out concrete actions to accelerate the transition to net zero and position the green economy for long-term success, the Green Industrial Strategy will help build internationally competitive clusters in sectors such as onshore and offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, and green professional services.

EVENTS

Heritage Trust Network – Conference 2024
Date & Time: Sunday 29 September – Tuesday 1 October 2024
Location: Dunfermline
Heritage Trust Network is bringing its conference to Dunfermline in 2024. Conference is always the highlight of the year, a fun and friendly mix of inspirational speakers, lively discussions and fascinating tours and visits to historic sites and community projects. Dunfermline has been chosen as the venue because of its fascinating mix of historic sites and the way local organisations are working together to make the most of its heritage assets following the granting of city status in 2022. The incredible philanthropic legacy of Andrew Carnegie is woven through the city’s cultural infrastructure. Network member, Fife Historic Buildings Trust, has recently been granted three-years of funding to help it develop restoration and re-use projects in Dunfermline.

Scottish Heritage Social Media Group – Are Social Media Skills Transferrable?
Date & Time: Wednesday 2 October 2024; 3-4pm
Location: Online
Join the Scottish Heritage Social Media Group (SHSMG) for their October event featuring David C. Weinczok FSAScot, Heritage Interpretation Officer at The Trimontium Trust. David will discuss how social media skills can be transferrable in the heritage sector, sharing insights from his varied career as a Scottish historian, researcher, author, and speaker. The event will cover transitioning to roles beyond content creation and how to expand your career options. This free online event includes a Q&A session and is ideal for those using social media to promote Scottish history, heritage, archaeology, museums, or archives.

Under One Roof – Navigating tenement building repairs: South Ayrshire
Date & Time: Thursday 3 October 2024; 1-3pm
Location: Ayr Town Hall, 21-29 New Bridge St, Ayr KA7 1JX
Join Under One Roof and South Ayrshire Council for a free and informative afternoon on navigating tenement building repairs. Topics covered will include important tenement legislation, organising common repairs, and dealing with non-payment. South Ayrshire Council will also give a presentation on Missing Shares, empty homes, and how owners can use the Novoville Shared Repairs app. There will be a Q&A session at the end.

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland – October Lecture: ‘Fragile treasures: textiles of the Galloway Hoard’
Date & Time: Thursday 3 October 2024; 6-8pm
Location: Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL (wheelchair accessible)
The Galloway Hoard is an assemblage of Viking Age objects that were buried in southwest Scotland around 900 CE. With quantities of silver and other materials, the hoard is large, complex, and valuable. Remarkably, wrapping and covering the metal objects are preserved textiles, leather, and braids that bundle, connect and contain the metal, glass and rock crystal items.  This lecture presents the team’s analysis of the hoard’s fabrics and considers the significance of these rare materials for understanding this extraordinary assemblage. This talk will be presented by Dr Susanna Harris PhD FSAScot, University of Glasgow.

Edinburgh 900 – Archaeology Conference 2024
Date & Time: Saturday 12 October 2024; 9am-5pm
Location: Lecture Theatre A, University of Edinburgh, 40 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JX
This conference is organised jointly by the City of Edinburgh Council Archaeology Service and the University of Edinburgh Department of Archaeology as part of the official  celebrations for Edinburgh’s 900th Anniversary. The conference is open to all with an interest in our capital’s rich history. Attendees will hear and discuss the results of important archaeological fieldwork and scientific research on a wide range of topics, from the Burgh’s foundation in the 12th century through to the 20th century.

AHSS Lecture – DJ Johnston-Smith: Echoes of Faith: Protecting Religious Built Heritage in Secular Scotland
Date & Time: Monday 14 October 2024; 6:30pm
Location: Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL (wheelchair accessible)
Note: Lecture will also be streamed online via Zoom
Scotland’s Churches Trust has been protecting and preserving the nation’s sacred buildings since 1978. Its current director, Dr DJ Johnston-Smith, discusses some of the innovative ways the Trust has championed Scotland’s religious built heritage over the past five decades, and how it is responding to the ongoing mass closure of Scottish churches and the emerging need to safeguard the country’s remaining collection of historic religious buildings.
Tickets available in advance or on the door: £6 / students £2 /

Under One Roof – Navigating tenement building repairs: West Lothian
Date & Time: Thursday 24 October 2024; 1-2pm
Location: Online
Join Under One Roof for a free and informative webinar on navigating tenement building repairs in West Lothian. Topics covered will include important tenement legislation, organizing common repairs, and dealing with non-payment. The session will end with a Q&A. Presenters include Mike Heffron, Chief Executive of Under One Roof, and Stephen Kelly, Education and Training Officer at Under One Roof. This webinar is suitable for anyone involved in tenement maintenance and repairs, including flat owners, landlords, and property managers.

AHSS Lecture – Fiona Sinclair: Streamlining the Streets
Date & Time: Thursday 24 October 2024; 7:30pm
Location: St Andrews West Church & Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JP
Note: Lecture will also be streamed online via Zoom
A surprising amount of construction took place in Renfrewshire during the 1930s. Fiona Sinclair, architect and historian, will illustrate the wealth of buildings from the inter-war period in Renfrewshire and highlight the achievements of some remarkable architects.
Tickets available in advance or on the door: £6 / students £2 / season ticket for all 5 lectures: £25

Under One Roof – Tenement maintenance and repairs: Falkirk
Date & Time: Tuesday 29 October 2024; 3-4.30pm
Location: Online
Join Under One Roof for a webinar with Falkirk Council for flat owners, landlords, and letting agents across the Falkirk area. The webinar will cover tenement maintenance, organising common repairs, and includes a Q&A session.

National Churches Trust – Building Sustainable Futures for Scottish Churches : Meet the Funders
Date & Time: Friday 1 November 2024; 10am-4pm
Location: Paisley Abbey, Abbey Close, Paisley PA1 1JG
Join the National Churches Trust at Paisley Abbey to chat with funders and advisers all under one roof. They are there to help support all aspects of the work within your church building, whether it is from community, heritage, faith, tourism, or climate action sectors.  Whether you are a congregation looking to repair a roof or to expand your community outreach; or a community organisation considering how to prepare a business plan and get advice on which insurance you will need, there will be someone there to help.  Meet with the experts across the sectors and chat with churches, communities and organisations who have already tackled the challenges you are facing.

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland – November Lecture: ‘Committing sexual violence in 1920s Scotland’.
Date & Time: Thursday 14 November 2024; 6-8pm
Location: Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL (wheelchair accessible)
In Scotland, men have gained a longstanding reputation for violence and brutality, signifiers of ‘real men’ earned through hard physical labour, fighting and ‘pay-packet masculinity’. Men commit the majority of recorded sexual violence which can be a barometer for society’s public and private pressures and structural inequalities. Taking a whole-nation qualitative and quantitative approach, this lecture explores incest and rape cases prosecuted between 1918-1930 and attempts to answer the principal questions: who assaulted whom, where, how and why?
This talk will be presented by Dr Louise Heren FRHistS FSAScot, Independent Researcher.

AHSS Lecture – Niall Murphy: The Glasgow Cenotaph
Date & Time: Thursday 21 November 2024; 7:30pm
Location: St Andrews West Church & Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JP
Note: Lecture will also be streamed online via Zoom
In its centenary year, Niall Murphy, Director of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, will discuss Sir John James Burnet’s design for the Glasgow Cenotaph and how it sits within the context of the other war memorials he produced for the likes of the Imperial War Graves Commission.
Tickets available in advance or on the door: £6 / students £2 / season ticket for all 5 lectures: £25

Scotland’s Towns Partnership – Conference 2024
Date & Time: Wednesday 27 November 2024; 9am-5pm
Location: Perth Concert Hall, Perth PH1 5HZ
STC24 highlights the importance of cultural, built, and natural assets in driving economic, social, and environmental progress in Scotland’s towns and places. Discuss, learn about and connect with the resilient and thriving places showcasing at Scotland’s Towns Conference 2024: “Investing in Our Assets for Sustainable Towns of the Future.” This year’s conference will delve into the critical role of cultural, built, and natural assets in fostering local economic, social, and environmental transformative change. Join the STP for an inspiring yet practice-based experience featuring study visits, keynote speakers, interactive workshops, collaborative world café sessions and a solutions-based exhibition.

 

SPAB – Maintaining Scotland’s Churches
Date & Time: Thursday 26 September 2024; 9:30am-3:45pm
Location: St Matthew’s Church, Tay Street, Perth PH1 5 LQ
Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland?  This introductory one-day course will explore how your historic church building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it.  You’ll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your own church building with the course tutors and others attending.

C&BS – People Matters | Disability Equality Training
Date & Time: Thursday 3 October 2024; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Online
This training with Birds of Paradise is underpinned by an extensive knowledge of equality and access within the sector as well as the wider context of how we view disability and think about equality within society. We know disabled people continue to experience significant barriers in the culture sector and elsewhere. This training offers a relaxed way to gain the skills and confidence to remove these barriers. The knowledge, skills, and tools you gain during the session will apply across all areas of your work and motivate you to make a positive change. In this three-hour session you will learn about: Cultural representation: how disability is viewed and its impact; Models of disability; Legislation & activism: where we’ve been and how we got here; Language around disability; Access requirements and removing barriers. This course is ideal for anyone who would like to learn more about disability equality, and create more inclusive, accessible environments within their work.

C&BS – Board Matters | Introduction to being a Board Member
Date & Time: Wednesday 9 October & Wednesday 16 October 2024; 4-7pm
Location: Online
Do you have new trustees on your Board, or have you taken on a trustee role yourself? If so, this is an essential course for launching or refreshing your Board career. C&BS Head of Board Development, Catriona Reynolds, takes new trustees and Board members through their paces in two information-packed, hands-on sessions. Over the two three-hour online sessions, you’ll explore: duties of charitable trustees/board members; different roles and responsibilities of board members and staff; meeting management and decision-making; advocacy and fundraising responsibilities; the trustee’s role in strategic planning; understanding the finances. This will be useful for new trustees and Board members seeking an introduction to their roles and responsibilities.

HES – Heritage Planning Day
Date & Time: Thursday 10 October 2024; 9:30am-4pm
Location: The Engine Shed, Forthside Way, Stirling FK8 1QZ
Members of Historic Environment Scotland’s Heritage Team and Stirling Council will discuss how they manage change to Scotland’s built heritage, both in strategic terms as well as practical matters. This includes how proposals to alter listed buildings or build new developments in conservation areas are reviewed, considered, and determined both fairly and transparently. A networking lunch will provide you with the opportunity to continue discussions and explore the Engine Shed.

C&BS – People Matters | Equalities within Boards
Date & Time: Wednesday 6 November 2024; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Equality, diversity and inclusion are essential to ensuring the culture sector is the very best it can be.
In this sector insight, employment law specialist Barry Nichol will explore how to ensure that EDI policies carry through to board level. Topics covered include Legal obligations surrounding Equalities and Boards; Strategies for ensuring Boards are representative and inclusive including how to recruit; Strategies for ensuring Board governance is fair and equitable. This will be useful to anyone who is involved in governance at their organisation, who would like to ensure their Board is as inclusive and equitable as possible.

C&BS – People Matters | Tools and Procedures for Accessibility
Date & Time: Thursday 14 November 2024; 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Online
This disabled-led training with Birds of Paradise is underpinned by an extensive knowledge of equality and access within the sector and offers practical guidance on how to work accessibly, particularly when planning activities and events. Participants will leave feeling more comfortable and confident in their interactions with disabled people. The knowledge, skills & tools they gain during the session will apply across all areas of their work and motivate them to make a positive change. In this three-hour session you will learn about: Access Requirements Forms; Access Statements; Planning for Access. This course is ideal for anyone who would like to learn more about disability equality, and create more inclusive, accessible environments within their work.

VACANCIES

Scottish Historic Buildings Trust – Trustee Roles
Scottish Historic Buildings Trust seeks four new trustees with expertise in areas such as strategy, finance, heritage conservation, marketing, fundraising, property development and asset management. Help shape the future of this leading organisation dedicated to preserving Scotland’s historic buildings. 3-year term, 4 meetings per year. For more information visit www.shbt.org.uk. To apply, email CV and cover letter to maggie.wright@mwa.co