Wltshire Council has just published an advert for an Independent Chair of Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site Partnership. It’s because it has been agreed that both parts of the WHS should work more closely together with input from English Heritage, the National Trust and Wiltshire Council so co-ordination is needed. So “The post holder will champion Stonehenge and Avebury’s World Heritage status.”
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Hurrah! What could be more justified or better timed? The combined WHS is a huge earner of foreign currency (which will soon rocket as the Stonehenge admission fee goes up to £13.90) and Avebury has recently been judged by “Which Magazine” as the second best World Heritage site in the whole world.
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But the advert also says:
“It may on occasion be appropriate for them to attend the Stonehenge and Avebury local Steering Committees.”
“It is hard to set prescriptive time requirements but candidates should expect to be able to dedicate at least two days per month to the role.”
…. Hmmmm!
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Shouldn’t the “champion” of Stonehenge and Avebury be full time and paid and attend all important committees? Why is he being asked to play such a diminished role and who will be making the decisions on the 29 days of each month when he’s absent? Let’s hope he proves more than a “token”. In fact, let’s have someone immensely strong minded whose expertise lies not in archaeology but in running a big company and promotion and marketing on a global scale – and who will absolutely insist on going to all the main meetings!
The Heritage Journal 
7 comments
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25/09/2013 at 09:31
EmF
I am part of the Avebury Sacred Sites Forum, EH have been promising to send someone to represent them on the forum for longer than I care to remember … now they say it may on occasion to attend!!!! On MANY occasions we have questions that only EH can answer, but nobody wants to play. No doubt the same applies to the Round Table for Stonehenge. Do they actually want to work with the forums to improve things for all? Or just pay lip service to the masses and carry on with what they want regardless???
This view is mine and not necessarily that of the rest of AssF 😉
25/09/2013 at 10:04
EmF
I should add that WCC do occasionally send a representative, my point being that EH are the ones who need to get someone sent to meetings, WCC are secondary!
25/09/2013 at 10:15
heritageaction
Although we should perhaps mention that our article is about a different, much wider issue.
25/09/2013 at 11:08
Stone 97
Stonehenge risks being stripped of its status as a world heritage site
because of “second-rate” government proposals to ease traffic
congestion at the monument, the National Trust said yesterday. ( in 2006.. )
Sarah Staniforth, historic properties director with the trust, said the
national committee of Unesco, which administers world heritage sites,
had reviewed the situation and Stonehenge could be taken off the list
because of poor traffic management. The trust’s warning comes as
ministers prepare to decide what to do to ease congestion on the A303,
which passes the ancient stones.
Options being considered include a 1.3 mile (2.1km) tunnel or diverting
the road to the north or south on the fringes of the 2,200 hectare
site. The trust, which owns much of the land around Stonehenge, does
not support any of the plans.
Sir William Proby, chair of the trust, said in an open letter to
Stephen Ladyman, the transport minister: “If the government is unable
to commit to implementing an acceptable long-term solution for
Stonehenge then it would be better to make no long-term commitment. We
should not tie the hands of future generations.” He said the threat to
Stonehenge was “urgent, serious and imminent”. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/jun/14/transportintheuk.travelnews
25/09/2013 at 11:37
heritageaction
Fortunately that’s all water under the bridge!
25/09/2013 at 11:52
Keith Macdonald
I do feel the EH’s desire for “Splendid Isolation” applies more to itself than the sites entrusted to it. It has a worryingly consistent track record of not accepting feedback, and certainly not engaging with local groups. Like the ones mentioned, plus Parish Councils. One might go so far as to speculate that EH sees itself as the “High-Status Elite Priests” so beloved of orthodox archaeology. The rest of us, who know nothing, are the feudal peasant class; good for nothing except paying tythes and taxes to keep EH in the style to which it has become accustomed.
Unesco might well do us a favour by giving EA a kick up the backside. In the meantime, us peasants can carry on travelling on that Trail of Misery past Stonehenge, otherwise known as the A303.
25/09/2013 at 12:39
stonehengenews
Reblogged this on Stonehenge News and Information.