5th July 2011, 10:35 PM
Actually I find myself also agreeing with Uo1, but maybe with something he didn't think he said....
Who should pay? 'those who commisioned it all in the first place.....
....which I take to mean the development control archaeologist and his/her planning authority. This is a question of national priorities. If the nation sets a procedure in place that ensures the preservation of the archaeological resource either in situ or by record it seems to me that the nation should make available the funds for that work. Whether they wish to offset the cost by fining or taxing the developer is an entirely separate and unconnected exercise...The difficulty with getting the developer to pay for the full cost of archive is that archive is intended as an in perpetuity exercise.
So whats to be done? Do we return in perpetuity to the developer and ask for funds to top up their particular portion of the record. Can't see it working!! The only way to make it work is to take a charge from general taxation and ( as in the case of pensions and heathcare and nuclear waste) commit the taxpayers of tomorrow to underwrite the cost of archive collected today....
Who should pay? 'those who commisioned it all in the first place.....
....which I take to mean the development control archaeologist and his/her planning authority. This is a question of national priorities. If the nation sets a procedure in place that ensures the preservation of the archaeological resource either in situ or by record it seems to me that the nation should make available the funds for that work. Whether they wish to offset the cost by fining or taxing the developer is an entirely separate and unconnected exercise...The difficulty with getting the developer to pay for the full cost of archive is that archive is intended as an in perpetuity exercise.
So whats to be done? Do we return in perpetuity to the developer and ask for funds to top up their particular portion of the record. Can't see it working!! The only way to make it work is to take a charge from general taxation and ( as in the case of pensions and heathcare and nuclear waste) commit the taxpayers of tomorrow to underwrite the cost of archive collected today....
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...