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The HHA has supported The Heritage Alliance's calls for more focused spending on heritage in advance of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
The Alliance's submission sets out the huge contribution which heritage makes to society and the wellbeing of the nation and what it can provide to support and deliver economic and social recovery.
The HHA is a key member and supporter of the Heritage Alliance and has joined with them to develop proposals for priority expenditure and plans for savings.
The Heritage Alliance has set out a number of priority areas where financial support should be maintained to ensure ongoing market success. These include:
- Legislative capability - to urge DCMS to maintain the specialist capability to work with other government departments to frame the primary legislation required to streamline and update the heritage protection regime;
- English Heritage (EH) - Greater and more effective partnership working could be they key to enabling EH to focus its efforts and maximise resources. However, English Heritage's critical role in supporting owners and managers through grant giving, advocacy and expert advice must be maintained;
- Local Government - Professional and specialist skills are vital to maximisng the benefits from heritage. As funding and planning powers are devolved from national and regional agencies, local authorities need a highly trained workforce to ensure the effective management of the historic environment;
- Support for cultural learning - Department for Education and DCMS should maintain public support for cultural learning and training opportunities for children and adults in which heritage is an integral part. Increased access, skills and understanding are essential if all sections of society are to enjoy the vast resource and learn to care for it in turn.
- European Funding - The Common Agriculural Policy (CAP) has a signficiant effect on the historic environment because of the way in which it affects countryside management and because it allows financial support for heritage objectives. Public policy intervention is required through agricultural and rural development policy at home and by influencing the future direction of the CAP in Europe.
Click here to read the full submission
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