Presidential Address 2009

In his anniversary address to the Society, given on 23 April 2009, our President Geoff Wainwright spoke of the 'universal disappointment at the announcement in December 2008 that Parliamentary time was not available for the Heritage Protection Bill for England and Wales', and said that there was now a real risk that local authorities will cut back on services to historic conservation without the incentive of legislative change and new funding'.

He also said that the loss of that part of the Bill relating to the protection of cultural heritage in times of armed conflict would 'reflect very badly on the UK internationally', especially as the process to sign and ratify the Convention was already underway in the United States.  'Our inability to pass this legislation will mean that the United Kingdom will be the only international power not to have signed and ratified the Convention', the President said, adding that the Society has 'written to the Secretary of State asking him to seek a way forward which will enable us to sign and ratify the Hague Convention' and noting that 'He has promised to explore this suggestion'.

On the new Planning Policy Statement intended to replace Planning Policy Guidance Notes 15 and 16, Professor Wainwright reminded the Government that the present system results annually in more than £150 million of commercially funded work across the UK, which recent researchers have shown is of enormous benefit to our understanding of the past. 'The wording of the new document and its guidance notes is therefore of fundamental importance', he said, and warned that 'we will argue strongly against any changes to the well-established 'developer pays' principle.  At the same time we will seek to introduce clauses that will seek to enhance public benefit from the work and ensure that the results are properly archived in a museum.'

The President referred to a recent debate in the House of Lords on 9 March when our Fellow Lord Alan Howarth requested assurance from Government that the implementation of the forthcoming Planning Policy Statement would not be weakened in the current economic recession and that Government should look to local authorities not to reduce the capacity of their historic environment services under financial pressure.  The President said that 'the Society has written to the Secretaries of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for Innovation, Universities and Skills and for Communities and Local Government asking them to ensure that archaeological provision is not weakened in forthcoming regulation or by the local authorities who are empowered to implement the protection of our heritage through the planning process.  Furthermore, we have asked the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to ensure the security and care of excavation archives which may be at risk if some archaeological practices cease to exist.  Finally we have asked the Secretary of State to discuss with English Heritage the provision of funds to publish those excavations which deserve such treatment thus taking advantage of the temporary lull in development and consequent field-work.'

Looking to the Society's own future, as it prepares to embark on a major fundraising and development campaign, the President said that 'We need to continue our progress towards more active participation by Fellows and keep attracting innovative and engaged people to the Fellowship – thus creating a strong community of individuals who can act as a catalyst for change.  I shall be seeking views from Fellows on these important matters in the near future, confident that the energy we are rightly expending on our material world can also be devoted to examining the core values which will under pin our next hundred years.'

Click here (Word file 57kb) to open or download a complete copy of the President's 2009 Anniversary Address.