South Yorkshire Archaeology Service cuts

[BAJR]

REturning to the topic... thank you Deadly

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sou...e-14234071

Concerns over planned cuts to archaeological service

Campaigners against cuts to the South Yorkshire Archaeological Service have said the planned loss of funding would pose a risk to local heritage.
They have met with Sheffield City Council to discuss the 50% funding cut.



And here:
http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthre...?p=7894887


where the first person reports:

This morning i attended the SYAS joint advisory committee meeting at the town hall to discuss the proposed 15%/50% budget cut.

The four representative members (with the agreement of the members of the public present) advised Sheffield city council should, in line with Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley, adhere to the original agreed 15% and overturn the unilateral decision of Sheffield city council to cut it's share of the budget by 50%.

If you have any interest in our regions archaeology, i urge you to make your feelings known to our representative at tomorrows (private) Doncaster meeting, Councillor Julie Dore, via e-mail at julie.dore@sheffield.gov.uk ASAP.

Thanks.

THe stock reply to everyone who contacted them has been this:

Dear insert name here

Thank you for your letter regarding cuts to the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service.

I appreciate your interest in the service and accept that there are good reasons why we would want to support the archaeology service at its current level. As you have stated the service plays a strong role and I share the sentiments you have raised regarding the work of the organisation.

Unfortunately, we are currently operating in a very challenging financial climate.

As an administration, we inherited a situation where a 50% cut was made to the service in the budget passed by the previous Liberal Democrat administration. In addition to this we are facing further cuts to come as we deal with the ?219 million cut to our budget imposed n us by the government.

In light of this situation and with deep regret we are not able to reinstate this cut that the Liberal Democrats made to the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service when the Council’s budget was set back in March. In the current climate, it would be unrealistic to consider additional expenditure in this area when we are faced with such heavy cuts to come across the Council in future years.

With regards to the agreement that was reached between the South Yorkshire Authorities earlier in the year, made at the joint meeting of the Joint Advisors Committee in December 2010 and confirmed the South Yorkshire leaders meeting in January 2011. This too was agreed under the Liberal Democrat administration, therefore, I can not explain why they were not able to honour the agreement and should you wish further clarification on this matter I would advise you to contact Liberal Democrat councillors to explain their decisions.

Best wishes

Councillor Ben Curran

and IfA response
http://www.archaeologists.net/news/11072...gy-service

Submitted by Kathryn Whittington on Wed, 20/07/2011 - 10:29
Sheffield City Council hosts the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service under a service level agreement with its three neighbouring South Yorkshire authorities. Although the four authorities agreed a 15% cut in funding for SYAS, Sheffield has now budgeted for a 50% cut. IfA has written to representatives of the four authorities, who meet on Thursday 21 July to discuss this move.
Dear Mr Turner
I am writing to you as Secretary of the Joint Advisory Committee for South Yorkshire Archaeology Service to convey to you the IfA’s concern, as professional institute for the study and care of the historic environment, about the potential effects to SYAS of the increased cut of 50% proposed by Sheffield City Council following the agreement to a 15% cut agreed at your meeting last December and approved by the South Yorkshire Leaders’ meeting in January.
I would be grateful if you could provide me with contact details for the Councillors involved, or forward this message to them for consideration during your meeting on Thursday.
We realise that these are challenging times and that there are difficult decisions to be made. But we are concerned to ensure that the implications of any reduction in historic environment capability are understood.

• First, the four South Yorkshire authorities must retain an adequate level of expertise to be able to comply with Planning Policy Statement 5. PPS5 is quite clear that archaeological knowledge and understanding are necessary to ensure informed planning decisions are made about the protection of undesignated heritage assets. Vitally this includes maintaining an up-to-date Historic Environment Record. We understand that these provisions are to be emphasised in the draft National Planning Policy Framework to be released for public consultation this week.
  
• Secondly, recognising that it is often the case that the benefits of development outweigh those of retaining sites and monuments, the loss of the asset can be offset by the planning authority requiring the applicant to commission a programme of investigation, excavation, analysis and publication of the results, including opportunities for voluntary sector and community participation. SYAS has an excellent track record of securing such outcomes. This can only be secured by planning conditions or obligations: without professional historic environment advice to planners this responsibility cannot be adequately discharged and important elements of South Yorkshire’s heritage will be lost without record.
  
• Thirdly, the role of planning archaeologists in applying such conditions is critical to levering in private sector investment in archaeology. I am sure your officers and those of the other three authorities will have the figures for South Yorkshire, but nationally the picture is one of each post bringing in c ?1m annually of such inward investment – an annual return of 30 to 40 times the cost of employment.
  
• Fourthly, this investment is directly applied through the planning process to bringing communities new understanding and enjoyment. It is a major contribution to quality of life and sense of place for the people of South Yorkshire. It is something the four authorities should be proud of. Such dividends are rarely equalled by other sectors and should not be put at risk.
  

I do hope that the Joint Committee is able to persuade the four authorities to protect their invaluable Archaeology Service by reversing the decision made by Sheffield City Council.
I look forward to hearing your advice on how best to contact the Councillors concerned before the meeting on Thursday.
Yours sincerely
Peter Hinton BA FSA FRSA MIfA MIAM
Chief Executive, Institute for Archaeologists