6th September 2005, 11:58 PM
Commercial units function at the sharp end of the whole exercise-the end game if you will.As such, and I think you touched upon this when you mentioned your risk in commissioning a commercial unit, is where the stressful environment is. The unit has pressure applied from just about everyone involved to complete on time.In what can be a savagely competative environment, conflict with a rogue developer is the last thing thats needed. Field units depend on developers to comply with method statements-this does`nt always happen and despite the most gentle of reminders, units can often be powerless-the safety net of a pro-active curator and an engaged consultant is a luxury in some places nowadays. I feel that units have an insight into the archaeology of their operational catchment areas in a way that consultants do not.I believe that units understand the needs of the archaeology and the viability of field methodologies in a way that consultants do not-no sleight intended, fieldies do this for a living. In terms of dialogue with developers, I feel that units can provide a fuller,informed and realistic dialogue.Working as a contractor- what is said behind closed doors between the developer/consultant is immediately recognisable when what is carried out on the ground is vastly at odds with the previously agreed mitigation read in the tea-hut the day before.By "trashing" I mean that the diluted compromises at the point of trowel, under commercial pressures (sometimes political) bear little or no resemblence to the spirit of the original design on rather more than an ocasional basis.We can only work with what the planning authorities/curators/consultants/developers allow-please don`t blame field units for juggling whilst sweeping the floor behind us with a broom up our backsides. Allowing a developer simply to "do the minimum" is a kiss of death to start with.Advising them as to how they can dilute that minimum does`nt help. I think that consultation goes to you guys simply because as commercial units, we fail to communicate with potential clients the concept that their requirements could be dealt with under one roof as an integrated package. I think consultancy is also seen as a safeguard against financial risk by clients. Not only that, consultation seems to be a recent fashion in other professions-much like having a personal trainer. In a litigious society, I understand the need for sound advice-I would like to see the sound advice view the public as much as a client as the developer and balance this by involving field units at a fundamental level-not simply see them as waste removal teams. Field units do this every day-all day and yet, all to often, grand schemes are handed down by those above that can sometimes be , well, laughable really. All I`m saying really is that the most pressure,the least resources,the least funding, is at the sharp end where it matters most.