31st October 2010, 11:25 PM
Sort of hot off the press... EH cuts and job losses. Sigh
English Heritage currently receives ?136 million grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. We also raise about one quarter of our income from our own commercial activities. Following the Government announcement of a 32% cut to the grant of English Heritage, Commissioners have determined that in the national interest we will protect:
It is also imperative for us to make more money while increasing the quality of the experience for visitors to the national collections, properties and monuments that we hold on behalf of the nation. Through increasing earned income, our aim is to make an additional, substantial contribution to the work of English Heritage as a whole over the next four years.
However, with cuts of this level it is inevitable that we will also need to make reductions to our services in some areas. Commission determined therefore that we should:
English Heritage is responsible for the care and protection of our unique national heritage - something that affects all of us, wherever we live, bringing joy as well as wealth to our communities. The cuts imposed on us have required extremely difficult choices but we are determined to fulfil our responsibilities and see our heritage flourish as much as possible.
English Heritage currently receives ?136 million grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. We also raise about one quarter of our income from our own commercial activities. Following the Government announcement of a 32% cut to the grant of English Heritage, Commissioners have determined that in the national interest we will protect:
- our planning advice services, especially given the cuts in local authority funding;
- designation, ie identifying our heritage and protecting it by listing, scheduling and so on, which is a core activity no one else can do;
- the maintenance and conservation of our properties which we have a responsibility to look after for future generations;
- all existing grant commitments.
It is also imperative for us to make more money while increasing the quality of the experience for visitors to the national collections, properties and monuments that we hold on behalf of the nation. Through increasing earned income, our aim is to make an additional, substantial contribution to the work of English Heritage as a whole over the next four years.
However, with cuts of this level it is inevitable that we will also need to make reductions to our services in some areas. Commission determined therefore that we should:
- reduce our grants by around one third. We cannot yet go into detail about what this means but we are discussing with other organisations how to minimise the impact on the historic environment;
- take out at least 200 posts which will affect a wide range of our services.
English Heritage is responsible for the care and protection of our unique national heritage - something that affects all of us, wherever we live, bringing joy as well as wealth to our communities. The cuts imposed on us have required extremely difficult choices but we are determined to fulfil our responsibilities and see our heritage flourish as much as possible.