Friday 9 April 2021

Updates from The Heritage Alliance

Bumper Issue

This issue of Update is a little larger than usual to make up for the 'lighter' version last fortnight. We will be back to normal next time.

Changes in our Team

This week, we are delighted to announce that our Advocacy and Communications Officer Daniella Briscoe-Peaple will be joining the team on a full time basis from April and that Delphine Jasmin-Belisle has now been appointed as Head of Development and Membership, helping us to sustain the resilience of the organisation in the future.

We are also delighted to welcome Faridah Rahman to our Policy and Communications team, who is joining us for sixth months on secondment to the Heritage Alliance as part of the Civil Service Fast Stream Programme. She will be leading our Diversity and Inclusion Project and supporting the Policy and Comms team to deliver key advocacy priorities. Faridah studied Biological Sciences at university and after graduating, worked as a primary school teacher before joining the Civil Service. On the Fast Stream so far, she has worked in the Estates Team at the Ministry of Justice and the Commercial Team at DWP.

Catch Up on our Key Events

Thank you again to everyone who was able to join us for Heritage Day.

Some snippets from the day can be found on our YouTube channel, including:

• The four fantastic performances from Histrionics
• Our Year in Review (where our team ran through the events of 2020 and what each month brought for heritage)
• Our video of Ecclesisatical's Heritage Heroes Award 2020 nominees and the awarding of the winners, which took place live at the event

Advertise Your Heritage News, Jobs & Events

Would you like to advertise a job, course, event or news item in Heritage Update? Find out how on our website.

Alliance members can advertise for free. You can see a full list of our member benefits here.

Policy Updates

This fortnight:

• We met with the DEFRA Environment Bill team to discuss further the challenges we see in the Environment Bill, particularly in relation to the definition of the ‘environment’ and the inclusion of heritage in future Environmental Improvement Plans.

• Lizzie attended the most recent Historic Environment Forum, where the key issues facing the sector were discussed,  including planning policy, the sector’s Covid Recovery Plan and the road to COP 26.

• In case you missed it, Lord Agnew of Oulton responded to a question from Baroness Benjamin on the Government's decision to open non-essential retail, hairdressers, and beauty parlours no sooner than 12 April but not open museums, galleries and heritage buildings until 17 May at the earliest.

Welcome to our Newest Member

This fortnight, we are delighted to welcome Humap as a member of The Heritage Alliance.

Humap is the newest interactive digital map for the heritage sector. Drawing on all the expertise that went into the creation of layersoflondon, Humap is a platform which puts the user experience at its heart with a simple to understand, highly visual and searchable platform of pinned records and overlayed maps and plans, organised into collections, themes and trails.

Humap makes it easy to add, edit and organise information, whether that’s text, images, video, links or tags and immediately engage an audience in exploration without bamboozling them with widgets and cluttered pages.

Current Humap sites include mappingmemory.org and coventryatlas.org, with more to come. You may contact Miriam Silverman, Head of Partnerships at Error Ltd, at Miriam@humap.me for features and prices. 

#HeritageChat - 'The Future of Volunteering'

#HeritageChat is a monthly Twitter chat to discuss collectively important topics for the sector. Taking part in the chat is easy – have a look at the instructions here if you’ve never taken part and you’d like to join.

The next #HeritageChat, on Tuesday 20 April 1-2pm (UK time), will discuss ‘The Future of Volunteering’. We’ll publish in advance on our website the questions which will be discussed on 20 April, and we’ll pin them on @HeritageChat Twitter profile.

Do you need a diary scheduler to remember when #HeritageChat takes place? Download it here for Outlook and for Google calendar!

Please fill this short survey to help us improve #HeritageChat – it will take 2-3 mins of your time and your opinions and experience will help us shape the future of #HeritageChat!

Brexit FAQs for the Historic Environment Sector

The Trello board with Brexit-related FAQs for the sector, produced by the Historic Environment Forum, remains available and regularly updated.

HEF has recently added a new feature to share problems and solutions adopted. Please contact Francesca if you have encountered specific Brexit-related problems you want to share, of if you found a solution to the issues listed in our Trello board under the section ‘Peer support’.

Heritage Recovery Plan

And a reminder that the HEF (Historic Environment Forum) Covid Task Group has worked closely with Historic England to compile a Heritage Recovery Plan around the four themes of re-opening, resilience, skills and return to growth with actions for Government and for the sector.

The Task Group is now working with the members of the Historic Environment Forum and the wider heritage sector to take forward the actions set out in the Plan.

New Funding to Boost Digital Skills for Heritage

£1 million of DCMS funding is being awarded to boost digital development in heritage organisations. As part of this, Heritage Digital has received funding to research and develop content tailored to answer the Heritage sector key questions on finding, creating and sharing digital content.

The Heritage Digital Consortium with new partner Dot Project will support cohorts of small-medium heritage organisations to embed digital within their strategy and strengthen their approach to innovation, enterprise and business planning.

To stay posted with the latest Heritage Digital updates, visit the Heritage Digital Portal and sign up to our mailing list.

New Digital Guide: Brexit, Intellectual Property Rights and Heritage

This week we launched a new free guide on all your organisation needs to know about Brexit and Intellectual Property Rights.

Following the UK’s departure from the EU, UK heritage organisations need to familiarise themselves with the impact this will have upon their activities. This guide provides an overview of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) management issues for heritage organisations relating to Brexit. Download it here.

Finished reading the guide? Watch our webinar recording to go along with it: Brexit, Intellectual Property Rights and Heritage: What You Need to Know – view recording

Thank you for Taking Part in #HeritageDigitalNOW

We were delighted to see you in so large numbers at our digital conference last week, our most popular event to date. Most webinars, keynotes and panels will be shared shortly on our portal. Watch this space!

Rebuilding Heritage Resources

If you’re planning for reopening, catch up on our Rebuilding Heritage webinars to get guidance and advice on reimagining your activity and leading your organisation.

These events were produced specifically as a response to the circumstances of Covid-19 but the approaches are transferrable to all forms of planning activity and can support the implementation of better practice far beyond the pandemic.

Business Planning in Uncertain Times

This webinar with Creative United provided tools for reviewing your activity and resources. Watch it here.

Governance During Challenging Times

This webinar with Clore Leadership looked at how to work effectively with your board. Watch it here.

Wellbeing at Work

This webinar with resilience coach Steve Wood looked at the specific wellbeing issues facing the heritage sector. Watch it here.

Government News

Headlines:

• Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage Recipients
• COVID-19: Entering Stage 2
• Brexit Updates
• New Planning Consultations

Culture Recovery Fund

The Government has now announced the over 2,700 arts, culture, heritage organisations and independent cinemas that have been offered grants and loans through the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund. Over £44million has been awarded to 476 heritage organisations in this second round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.

Congratulations to all those who have received funding, including members of The Heritage Alliance and their members. Further details and a full list of all those awarded in this round can be found here, and a list of decisions specific to the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage can be found here.

COVID-19

It has been agreed that we are approaching Step 2 of the Government's Roadmap out of lockdown, which will see non-essential retail, public buildings, indoor leisure facilities and most outdoor attractions reopen from 12 April. The Government has also stated that the Roadmap remains on track for all heritage to be reopened by 17 May.

A policy paper entitled Roadmap Reviews: Update has now been published, which sets out the four programmes of work (around COVID-status certification, international travel, large events and social distancing) established by the Government to consider next steps over the summer. This includes a series of pilot events to be held ahead of allowing larger gatherings to take place after June.

The Government has also stated that a Covid-status certification system will be developed over the coming months to enable the safe reopening of 'higher-risk settings'.

The Government has also confirmed extended opening hours for ‘non-essential retailers’ when they reopen on 12 April and the guidance on Test and Trace has been updated to include further requirements for maintaining records and contact information from staff, customers and visitors.

DCMS has confirmed questions around reopening with guidance on a range of issues pertaining to visitor attractions including around coach tours, wedding shows, heritage railways and outdoor displays and demonstrations. You can find the details in our Covid-19 Guidance Hub.

The latest guidance includes:

• (COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do (updated to include how coronavirus restrictions will change from 12 April)
• Organised events guidance for local authorities in England (new)
• Volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19) (new guide)
• Heritage locations - Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) (the visitor economy section has been updated to include information on reasonable adjustments, changes to NHS Test and Trace regulations and changes to national restrictions from 29 March)
• Visitor Economy Guidance (updated)
• Guidance for Out of School Settings (updated)
• Safer public places - urban centres and green spaces (updated)
• Guidance for managing beaches, the countryside and coastal areas  (updated)
• Guidance for managing playgrounds and outdoor gyms  (updated)
• Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships  (updated)
• Code of practice for the commercial property sector (updated with further guidance for landlords and tenants to help protect viable businesses)
• COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship (updated with details regarding singing in places of worship  and in the open air applicable in England from 28 March. Details for across the UK are on the HRB Alliance website).
• New guidance on safe use of council offices

New Events Guidance

DCMS has published new guidance for events held during Step 2 and Step 3 of the Government's Roadmap out of lockdown.

At Step 2, an event can take place if all three of the following conditions are met (OR the event is a drive-in performance or show):

• The event takes place outdoors
• Attendees are expected to arrive and leave the event in a staggered manner throughout the day
• It does not involve attendees converging on and congregating in a site for a specific discrete performance or activity, such as a theatre or music performance

Events that fit these criteria include garden shows, steam rallies, car boot sales, community fairs/ village fetes, animal shows, funfairs/ fairgrounds, food and drink festivals and drive-in cinemas/ drive-in live performance events.

At Step 3 (no earlier than 17 May), an event can take place where:

• People are likely to congregate in one area for the duration of the event.
• People are likely to enter or leave the venue in large numbers at a similar time.

This will include business events, cinemas, live performances, circuses, air shows, historical/ battle re-enactments, live animal performances and sporting events. All events recommencing at Step 3 are subject to capacity restrictions, which must be adhered to at any point of the event.

Test and Trace Updates

New Guidance

Venues welcoming visitors will need to continue to observe the guidance on Test and Trace. This  guidance has now been updated to stipulate that every customer or visitor should be asked to scan the NHS QR code or all those over the age of 16 are to provide their name and contact details, (and not just a lead member as before). 

Refusing Entry

It has been noted by some that these additional requirements may cause conflict between customers and staff. Regulation 16 of the Government's Health Protection Regulations states that when a relevant person becomes aware that an individual has not provided the requisite details,  the person providing the service must take all reasonable steps to prevent access to an individual who refuses to provide the requisite details. This businesses in Schedule One that this relates to include restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs.

Recovery Loan Scheme Now Open

The Government’s new Recovery Loan Scheme is now open. Through the Scheme, Businesses can access loans of £25,000 to £10 million. Invoice and asset finance is also available from £1,000. The Government will provide an 80% guarantee for all loans and interest rates have been capped at 14.99% (although the rates are expected to be much lower for the vast majority of cases.)

New Guide on Volunteering during COVID-19

The Government has published a new  guide on Volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19), which is aimed at members of the public who are currently, or are interested in, volunteering during the pandemic. It sets out details of how people can volunteer safely, including around travel, finding opportunities and how to volunteer within the current restrictions.

Free Workplace Testing for all Businesses

Businesses can still register to order free rapid lateral flow coronavirus tests for employees until 11:59pm on 12 April 2021. Please note that you can still register if your business is closed or you cannot provide tests at the moment, as once registered you can order tests in the future.

Funding

A reminder that the Welcome Back Fund has been announced, with £56 million to boost tourism, improve greenspaces, outdoor seating areas, and market and food stall pop ups. This funding builds on the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund, announced in May 2020, and will be administered by local authorities.

And of the Additional Restrictions Grant that was recently updated to specifically include tourism and events businesses that are not eligible for other grants.

The National Audit Office has found that the arts sector has so far received just over half (£495 million) of the £830 million budgeted by the Government for COVID-19 grants and loans through the Culture Recovery Fund.

In March 2020, Nesta’s Arts & Culture Finance team launched the £23m Arts & Culture Impact Fund - a social impact investment fund for creative social enterprises. The five first successful recipients have now been announced.

Our Covid-19 Guidance Hub lists all the current grants that are still available.

Travel & Tourism

The Government has stated that it wants to see a return to non-essential international travel "as soon as possible, while still managing the risk from imported cases and variants of concern."  However, it is reportedly not yet in a position to confirm that non-essential international travel can resume from 17 May.

When non-essential international travel does return it will do so with a risk-based “traffic light” system:

• Red – no entry except for returning citizens and hotel quarantining
• Amber – home quarantine
• Green – no isolation needed

The Government is advising people not to book summer holidays abroad until the picture is clearer. When non-essential international travel does resume, the COVID-status certification is intended to facilitate international travel where certification is required, and the Government will look to establish arrangements with other countries and international organisations to establish mutual recognition of certificates.

Social Impacts

The data from the latest ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (covering the period 24 March to 28 March 2021) reveal a dip in personal well-being levels including happiness, life satisfaction and anxiety. Positive sentiment towards the vaccine remained high and over half (53%) of working adults reported leaving home for work in the past seven days (a noticeable increase from 44% in early February).

Since the end of January, there has been a notable positive shift in confidence around visiting attractions when they re-open, according to findings from Wave 7 of the ALVA Attractions Recovery Tracker.

And a reminder that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published complaints data, detailing submissions relating to cancellations, unfair prices and misleading claims relating to the pandemic since March 2020.

Brexit & Immigration

Border Control Processes from 2022

Michael Gove announced in a recent statement that full border control processes will be introduced from the 1 January 2022, which is six months later than originally planned. The intention of this is for businesses and organisations to have further time to prepare for changes and minimise disruption as the country recovers from the impact of Covid-19.

New Graduate Visa Route

Details of the new Graduate Immigration Route have now been published. The route will open for applications on 1 July 2021 and successful applicants on this route at bachelor’s or master’s level will be able to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for two years. Doctoral students will be able to stay for three years.​​

UK and EU Reach Agreement on Financial Rules

Britain and the European Union have now agreed on a UK - EU Memorandum of Understanding on financial services. Once signed, this MoU will create the framework for voluntary regulatory cooperation in financial services between the UK and EU. The MoU will establish the Joint UK-EU Financial Regulatory Forum, which is intended to serve as a platform to facilitate dialogue on financial services issues.

SME Brexit Support Fund

A reminder that the Government's £20 million SME Brexit support fund is now open for applications. This fund is aimed at helping smaller businesses with changes to trade rules with the EU.

Businesses (with less than 500 employees and no more than £100 million annual turnover) can receive up to £2,000 to help with training or professional advice. Further details about the fund, and how to apply, can be found here.

UK Community Renewal Fund

Further supporting documents have been added to the UK Community Renewal Fund prospectus. The UK Community Renewal Fund is set to provide £220 million additional funding to help places across the UK prepare for the introduction of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The latest guidance includes:

• Applying for a Visa for the UK (updated with new guidance: the deadline for people to apply for a visa online if their VAC is closed (which was to have run-out on 31 March) has now been extended to 30 June 2021)
• A collection of guidance on the civil society sectors and the EU (updated)

​Our Brexit Hub collates the latest Brexit guidance that is relevant to the heritage sector. Alliance Members can continue to inform us with your questions and concerns and the Brexit FAQ Trello Board from the Historic Environment Forum remains open as a resource for the sector.

You can also read our latest briefings and papers on Heritage, Brexit and Immigration on our website.

Planning

New Planning Rules to Support High Streets & Town Centres

MHCLG has announced new planning rules that will give greater flexibility for commercial premises to be converted into homes and includes a fast track for extending public service buildings such as schools and hospitals. The aim is to revive high streets, transform unused buildings and deliver more education and hospital space. 

The new home conversions will be delivered through a simpler ‘prior approval’ process instead of a full planning application and will be subject to high standards (including around providing natural light and adequate space). The new rules also mean that public buildings can be extended "further and faster".

New Inquiry into Permitted Development Rights

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is seeking views on the Government's recent and proposed changes to permitted development rights around large-scale development, commercial-to-residential conversations and changes of use. The details can be found here and in the 'consultations' section below.

£30 Million Investment to Provide Changing Places Toilets

MHCLG has announced a further £30 million in funding to install Changing Places toilets in existing buildings in England, including arts and tourism venues. Local authorities will be invited to opt in to receive a share of funding based on need. Individual venues interested in accessing funding can express their interest in working in partnership with their local authority to deliver a Changing Places toilet.

Environment & Agriculture

New Countryside Code

A new Countryside Code has now been launched, which aims to allow people of all ages and backgrounds "to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits that nature offers, while giving it the respect it deserves". This is in response to growing concern around people's use of parks and open spaces, including an increase in littering. Promotion of the new Code will also aim to tackle inequalities in access to nature identified through Natural England’s People and Nature survey.

New Green Measures

It has been announced that the UK will host a Global Green Investment Summit in October to help boost foreign investment into UK Net Zero companies.

The Government has also progressed with its "landmark" reforms to boost recycling, tackle plastic pollution and reduce litter. It has suggested that powers in the Environment Bill could be used to make manufacturers more responsible for the packaging they produce and incentivise consumers to recycle more.

On 23 March, the Government announced that £562 million will be invested to enable over 200 local authorities across England and Scotland to fund a nationwide upgrade of the UK’s least energy efficient and fuel-poor homes. The aim is to transform over 50,000 low-income households and social housing properties and support over 8,000 energy sector jobs annually, including local plumbers, builders and tradespeople.

EOI Farming 

A reminder that expressions of interest for the Government's new Sustainable Farming Incentive (a new scheme for farmers that rewards environmental land management, which will launch in 2022) are due in by 11 April.

Green Recovery Challenge Fund - Deadline Approaching

And a reminder that applications for the second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund is still open for applications at the lower grant level (£50,000 to £250,000) until 14 April.

Other News

Driving Forward the Plan for Growth

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng have sent a letter to businesses on the government’s Plan for Growth, which sets out the key pillars of investment around which the Government plans to focus in line with its mission to "build back better" from the pandemic, create jobs and drive forward key priorities.

Pay

The Charity Commission has published its gender pay gap report 2020, which reveals that men working for the Commission are paid 3.2% more than women, compared with 2.5% reported in 2019, 4.9% reported for 2018 and 3.7% for 2017. The full findings are broken down here.

And the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increase has now come into effect. The rate rises include a 2.2% increase in the National Living Wage to £8.91 and for the first time the age threshold for the National Living Wage will be lowered from 25 to 23 years old.

Review of Research Bureaucracy

Among the Prime Minister's package of science announcements on 27 January 2020 was a commitment to launch a major review research bureaucracy and methods "including unnecessary paperwork, arduous funding applications and research selection processes". 

Terms of reference for this report have now been published by BEIS and UKRI on the Government website. Interim findings are anticipated this autumn, and the final conclusions by early 2022.

Support for Vulnerable People & Families

It has been announced that the National Lottery Community Fund will invest almost £18 million in the Government’s ‘Changing Futures’ programme. This additional funding takes the total for the programme up to £64 million and will extend the support available to three years. The aim is to enable "a more effective, joined-up service" from local organisations – including, councils, health bodies, police, probation services, voluntary and community sector.

The Government has also announced plans for the next stage of its Supporting Families programme - a £165 million programme to support vulnerable families. Councils will be able to bid for this funding, split over two years, to set up new data projects that will help them better understand the needs of local people.

New £5bn ‘Project Gigabit’ to Improve Broadband Access

DCMS has launched the first phase of the Government's £5bn Project Gigabit, which aims to bring gigabit broadband to more than one million "hard-to-reach homes".

Cyber Security Risk for Businesses & Charities

DCMS has released figures which show that two in five businesses (39 per cent) and a quarter of charities (26 per cent) report having cyber security breaches or attacks over the past 12 months. The Government is urging organisations to follow expert guidance to boost their online resilience.

Sector Digest

Read on for a breakdown of the latest news from across the sector.

Art Council England Delivery Plan

Arts Council England has outlined a delivery plan to implement its new 10-year strategy ('Let's Create'). This first Delivery Plan covers the years 2021-24 and includes news that the project grants threshold will rise from £15k to £30k.

ACE has set out five thematic areas of work that it believes are most urgently needed during the pandemic, and further detail on the Investment Principles that it expects to guide its investment until 2030.

Heritage Professional Audience Survey Deadline Extended 

Historic England is running a Heritage Professional Audience Survey to better understand how heritage professionals are using Historic England’s digital platforms, which will help them to improve users' online experience.

The deadline has been extended to 11 April to allow more people to take part. To have your say and help inform future engagement, take their ten-minute survey here.

ALVA Publishes Visitor Figures

The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) has published its visitor figures for 2020, which show a "huge fall" of 66% in visitors, revealing the impact of COVID-19 on UK attractions.

Bernard Donoghue, director of ALVA, said it had been a “devastatingly” hard year for ALVA’s members, but he has urged people to visit UK attractions this summer in what will be an experience of "culture without crowds".

Key findings from the figures reveal that:

• Tate Modern was the most-visited tourist attraction in the UK, with more than 1.4 million visitors in 2020 (although this was still a 77 per cent decrease on the previous year).

• Gardens were in top 10 most visited attractions for the first time

• Outdoor UK attractions fared better during pandemic

Community Businesses in Places of Worship 

The Plunkett Foundation, funded by Allchurches Trust, is providing specialist advice and funds to encourage churches to explore the benefits of supporting community businesses and helping their wider communities to thrive. From shops and cafes to post offices and farmers markets – community businesses provide vital services that support the wider local community. 

European Cultural Heritage Green Paper

Europa Nostra has published the European Cultural Heritage Green Paper "Putting Europe’s shared heritage at the heart of the European Green Deal", in close cooperation with ICOMOS and the Climate Heritage Network. An Executive Summary is available to read alongside the Full Paper.

The Paper correlates the contribution of cultural heritage to all key areas of the European Green Deal, including Clean Energy, Circular Economy, the Renovation Wave, Smart Mobility, Farm to Fork, Green Finance and a Just Transition, Research and Innovation, Education and Training, as well as Green Deal Diplomacy. It proposes a series of concrete recommendations both for policy-makers and for cultural heritage stakeholders.

Funding

ACE has opened a new round of its Creative People and Places programme, which is dedicated to reaching the 109 areas of the country with the lowest arts engagement. From the £26m fund, funding from £750k - £1m is available for projects running from April 2022 – March 2025. The deadline for applications is 11 June 2021, but organisations are encouraged to register their interest as soon as possible.

The Museums Association has also announced new rounds of the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, which is reopening with changed criteria. The first deadline for expressions of interest is 26 April 2021.

Fundraising Support for Charities

Ecclesiastical Insurance [Alliance corporate partner] has launched a new charity fundraising hub. The new hub includes support, guidance and easy-to-use tools to help you stabilise fundraising now and strengthen it tomorrow.

Alliance Member News

A snapshot of the current work of our members.

Share Your Insights

The Public Benefit of Archaeology

MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) [Alliance member] is seeking thoughts from the heritage sector through a survey on public benefit (social value). MOLA's ultimate goal is to create an industry toolkit, and contribute to policy papers, that improve the public benefit that it generates for the communities affected by its work.

This survey is for anyone working in the heritage sector, and it is not necessary that you work in or with archaeology to participate. Participants will be entered to win a £100 voucher (for yourself or a nominated charity).

Information about the UKRI Public Benefit Project is on the MOLA blog or you can view the video here. Questions can be directed to Kate Faccia (kfaccia@mola.org.uk) or Sadie Watson (swatson@mola.org.uk).

Contribute to the Heritage Fund's New Research and Development Project

The National Lottery Heritage Fund [Alliance member] and The Young Foundation are seeking perspectives on the question: how can innovation help us do the best we can for the future of heritage?

They are inviting people to either attend their workshops, receive updates or simply submit their insights. Further details and an expression of interest form can be found here.

Consultations

Open Consultations:

• MHCLG - The Future Buildings Standard - 13 April
• Natural England - Open Access Restriction at Steart Peninsula - 14 April
• BEIS - UK internal market: the continuity of exclusions from the principles of mutual recognition and non-discrimination for services - 23 April
• DfT - Amending the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation - 23 April
• DEFRA - Amendments to the Flood Re Scheme - 26 April
• Independent Review of Destination Management Organisations - 28 Apr
• New Inquiry into Permitted Development Rights - 30 April
• MHCLG - Commercial Rents and COVID-19: call for evidence​ - 4 May
• Home Office - New Plan for Immigration - 6 May 
• DEFRA - Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive - 7 May
• DfT - Public Transport Ticketing Scheme - 24 May
• HM Treasury - R&D Tax Reliefs: consultation - 2 June
• Historic England - Historic England’s Draft Industrial Heritage Strategy - 7 June
• BEIS -  Private Rented Sector minimum energy efficiency standards - 9 June
• DCMS  - Improving broadband for Very Hard to Reach premises - 11 June
• Home Office - Protect Duty (how the Protect Duty can make the public safer at publicly accessible locations) - 2 July
• HMRC - Call for evidence: the tax administration framework: supporting a 21st century tax system - 13 July 2021

New Plan for Immigration

A new consultation has been published by the Home Office into the Government's New Plan for Immigration policy paper. The paper sets out the Government's intentions to build a "fair but firm" asylum and illegal migration system.

Deadline: 6 May 2021

Amending the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation

The Department for Transport is seeking views on proposed amends to the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) which would see greater carbon savings by revised renewable targets, recycled carbon and non-biological fuel amounts, plus its role in maritime.​

Deadline: 23 April 2021

New Inquiry into Permitted Development Rights

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is seeking views on the Government's recent and proposed changes to permitted development rights around large-scale development, commercial-to-residential conversations and changes of use.

Deadline: 30 April 2021

Commercial Rents and COVID-19: call for evidence​

MHCLG is holding a consultation on commercial rents and COVID-19 that supports the Government's decision to review measures on commercial lease evictions established by section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Deadline: 4 May 2021

Open Access Restriction at Steart Peninsula, Somerset

Natural England is seeking views on proposals that will restrict public access to open access land at the Steart Peninsula in Somerset.​

Deadline: 14 April 2021

Low Pay Commission Consultation 2021

HM Revenue and Customs is seeking views on how the tax administration framework could be reformed to support a trusted, modern tax administration system. As part of the government’s 10-year tax administration strategy, Building a trusted, modern tax administration system.

Deadline: 13 July 2021

Events

Upcoming Heritage Events - Quick Look

• 12 April - 14 June: Other Voices in Garden History (on-line lecture series), The Gardens Trust
• 13 April: The English Landscape Revolution, Georgian Group
• 13 April: CPD Session - Materials, SPAB

• 14 April: Conservation challenges in the post-industrial North East, SAVE Britain's Heritage

• 18 April: 'Fix Your Crown' Film Screening & Discussion, Razana Afrika

• 19 April: Permeability and the Picturesque: British Country Houses at the Turn of the Nineteenth Century, Georgian Group
• 20 April: Lecture with George Clarke: The Restoration Warriors of Britain​, SAVE

• 20 April: CPD Session - Services, SPAB

• 21 - 23 April: CIfA Online Annual Conference

• 22 April: Rethinking Place, Production & Power - showcasing the creative re-use of old buildings, SPAB

• 28 April: New Design for Old Buildings in Wales, SPAB

• 2 May: AoHE Extra Ordinary Motor Gathering 'OMG'
• 4 May: Sir John Soane's Fascination with Napoleon Bonaparte, Georgian Group
• 13 May: Construction Summit Conference and The Construction Awards of Excellence, Chelsea Harbour Hotel, London
• 20 May: Forestry Training Day with the Forestry Commission & ALGAO
• 22 - 23 May: Online symposium: Georgian London Revisited, Georgian Group
• 15 June: Brighton's Development as a Seaside Resort between c.1750 and 1830 - Causes and Consequences, Georgian Group

• 15 June: Humble Heritage Workshop - Repair of Flint Walls, SPAB, Lewes, East Sussex

• 28 - 29 June: Humble Heritage Advanced Workshop - Lime Production, SPAB, Old House Project, Kent

• 7 September: Tour of St Anne's Church, Limehouse, SPAB, London

• 11 September: Leeds Minster: ‘noblest among the noble’ of the early-Victorian churches

Bristol Women Explore African Queens in Upcoming Film Premiere

A short film featuring Bristol women exploring the legacy of historical African Queens’ and its relevance for our contemporary world. “Fix your Crown” is a the culmination of an innovative project developed by Bristol-based Razana Afrika [Alliance member], a Community Interest Company, which aims to empower communities through African history. 

The short film captures monologues written and performed by eight Bristol community women, who have used the stories of historical queens to inspire their performances. Everyone is invited to watch the online screening of the film, which will be followed by a Q&A session with the performers and the collaborators at 6:30pm on 18th April 2021 via Zoom. The Q&A session will be chaired by Dr Marie-Annick Gournet. To attend, reserve a place here.

Courses

MSc Sustainable Building Conservation - Cardiff University

Accredited by the IHBC, this distinctive Masters’ qualification places emphasis on the role of sustainability within the historic context at both technical and strategic levels. The course is offered on both a full-time and a part-time basis and attracts students from a broad range of backgrounds. Master’s Excellence Scholarships are available.

Starts September 2021. Full-time study 1 year, part-time 2 years.

Applications can be made using the online application form. 

Application deadline: 12 July 2021. Apply for a Global Wales Postgraduate Scholarship: deadline 20 June 2021.

Jobs

Salaried

Notes & Subscriptions

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Image credits (in order of appearance): The Landmark Trust; Waterloo Uncovered; English Heritage; The Ragged School Museum; Heritage Open Days, The SPAB, Sussex Heritage Trust, National Historic Ships UK.