The seminar held at the Society on 25 November 2022 allowed the themes raised in the Manifesto published in 2020 to be fully debated with contributions from a wide variety of stakeholders. The discussion was wide ranging and constructive, with participants expressing support for some aspects of the proposals and concern about others. Given the diversity of interests amongst those present, it is hardly surprising that no universal agreement emerged. However, there was a clear consensus about the importance of enhancing public benefit from archaeological work and increasing communication and co-operation between organisations working in the same regions. The objectives and achievements of the 21st Century Challenges for Archaeology  project (21CAP) were also explained and re-emphasised (https://www.archaeologists.net/projects/21st-century-challenges-archaeology ).

Council has considered the question of how to move ahead following this discussion of the Manifesto and in the context of our own Strategic Review which considers its broader role in the sector. External circumstances have changed since Manifesto was published, and whilst it clearly provided a catalyst for debate, it is also true that it generated a lot of push-back, with some feeling that this was not the time to propose radical changes. In the light of the responses, and in taking account of the current political climate, it seems unlikely that there will be any concerted effort to lobby for the types of regional structures advocated in the Manifesto. On this basis, and whilst recognising the case for a regional approach in the future, the Society has decided to direct its efforts elsewhere. We will continue to monitor current thinking in political parties in the lead up to the next General Election and be ready to share our thinking about the potential advantages of regional structures if the political climate is moving in that direction. In the meantime, the Society will continue to play an active part in the 21CAP project and in doing so, help to ensure that fuller information on this project is more widely and fully publicised. Similarly, in terms of broader sectoral lobbying, the Society will continue to actively engage with the Heritage Alliance, supporting its efforts to lobby government on behalf of the sector (https://www.theheritagealliance.org.uk/our-work/advocacy-work/).

In terms of its broader approach, the Society will focus on two objectives where is can make a significant contribution, both in its own right through support, advocacy, and grant aid, and in seeking to complement the work of other bodies in the sector:

  1. The Society will support and actively advocate for genuine enhanced public benefit. As a Learned Society we have a key role in promoting an increase in knowledge and understanding resulting from archaeological work, including critical appraisal of results, academic synthesis and, importantly, its communication to a broad public.
  2. The Society will seek to enable and promote collegial networks of regional collaboration which bring academics into partnership with curators, contractors and other interested parties to support knowledge exchange and to encourage critical understanding and synthesis.

Alongside this, the Society will also work with others in the sector to promote improvements in the quality of archaeological practice drawing on the wide range of knowledge and expertise of the Fellowship to support those working in the sector. We would welcome a discussion about collaborative projects that would help further this aim.

Martin Millett

President