Quote:[FONT=&quot]Do developers fund the education service in the fens? No, of course they don’t. If every developer was allowed to merrily destroy the archaeological record when building their housing estate, not one extra teacher would be provided for local children. Rather, the lack of historical information available to local schools would in fact damage the education of local children, while developer[/FONT][FONT=&quot]s[/FONT][FONT=&quot] get to make even more profit.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like stealing from the children rather than giving them something.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Of course, Mr Melton’s background rather reveals the source of his bias against culture. He is a bricklayer, and therefore seems to see anything that stops someone like him making money as a bad thing. He even mentions unspecified ‘experiences he endured during his former life’ which seem to have twisted his opinions. Sadly, he has been elected by the good people of the Fens into a position where he c[/FONT][FONT=&quot]an enforce his uncultured views on the rest of us[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

Quote:[FONT=&quot]Democracy is a funny thing. We seem to be fighting a few wars at the moment to get other countries to sign up for it. China is continually bashed because it doesn’t want it. But sometimes there comes along a story that makes you wonder ‘do we really want it?’ Because it seems that sometimes people can elect leaders who are, quite frankly, barbarians.[/FONT]

Quote:To whom it may concern,

I would like to draw your attention to the comments made by Cllr Alan Melton, Leader of Fenland Council, Cambridgeshire, regarding environmental and archaeological concerns during his keynote speech at the recent 4th Annual Fenland Council Building and Design Awards. For a full account and responses from professionals, please see local media outlets including the Eastern Daily Press and Cambridgeshire Times.

The first half of his speech was no departure from the standard local politico format for such things - a generally bland promise to introduce new houses and take more money for them. The second half of Cllr Melton's speech went on to include a series of derisory comments aimed at heritage groups and some confused references to heritage practises that Cllr Melton has clearly failed to grasp. Alan Melton, a freelance health and safety advisor according to his Fenland Council online profile, implied that archaeologists and environmentalists are an obstacle to development, referring to current professional standards as "scriptures of the new religion." - a demeaning swipe at a variety of professional groups and those with a general interest in heritage, archaeology and the environment.

Cllr Melton went on to state that, "The bunny huggers won't like this, but if they wish to inspect a site, they can do it when the footings are being dug out."

If this was the only level of archaeological investigation allowed within the planning process it would become considerably more expensive for developers in many instances. Should archaeology be found it would have to be investigated at a point where there was no opportunity to mitigate for it at the design stage, incurring a costly wait for the construction team as they are forced to down-tools and allow the archaeologists to step in to deal with their discovery. By finding features of archaeological interest in advance of this, sites can be cleared for construction or project designs restructured allowing flexibility and cost-efficiency at all times. Under this system, negative outcomes are often attributable to poor project management, not archaeological considerations. This whole scenario displayed Alan Melton's ignorance of planning and archaeology. He also failed to recognise the council's legal obligations under the UK's commitment to the Valletta Convention and planning guidance PPS5, covering heritage considerations in the planning process.

He then chose to make the odd assertion that he does not, "...believe that polar bears will be floating down the Nene in my lifetime or indeed my children's." Sustainability in action!

Cllr Melton's career as a bricklayer and later a freelance project manager may inform his interest in this area. His line, "and after the experiences I endured in a former life, I shall be taking a keen interest!" bodes badly for an objective consultation of his plans to dispense with all but what he considers to be the most essential archaeological concerns. Indeed, there has been no obvious consultation prior to this formal announcement. Alan Melton has presented a future for the Cambridgeshire Fens, devoid of a culturally informed understanding of the environmental and archaeological considerations of the region and detrimental to the jobs of environmental professionals. This, in one of the UK's most environmentally diverse and archaeologically rich areas.

As the funding cuts to local authorities are being rolled out, it is becoming apparent that some councils view heritage services as an easy target with the reduction or closure of a number already revealed. These cuts are resulting in a vacuum or reduction in advice to councils and planning authorities leading to precisely this form of misconceived action. Unfortunately, Cllr Melton's comments represent the thin edge of a poorly devised wedge which is leaving the future of British archaeology hanging in the balance and the cultural heritage that it represents exposed to erosion for the sake of a very small saving to companies and an increased dividend payout to shareholders.

After being contacted by a leading and widely respected archaeological professional who enquired into the exact nature of the Council's plans, Cllr Melton sent a reply consisting of the single, puzzling phrase, “Eric Pickles would be proud!”

This is not just about saving some pots or keeping a few thousand archaeologists in a job. A 2010 Oxford Economics report attributed 195,000 UK jobs directly to heritage tourism, or 466,000 jobs and ?20.6bn to the UK economy with the multiplier effect. Alan Melton's view seems to lack any cultural and economic awareness and has raised ire across the entirety of the heritage profession and beyond, myself very much included!

Yours Sincerely,

BillyPilgrim Wrote:Have to say, I really like. As well as confronting the issue it does a nice job of seeking dialogue with the elected councillors.