RESCUE –The British Archaeological Trust has issued a powerful statement in response to the latest report on Local Authority staff resources and in particular the ongoing loss of specialist professional advice in the fields of archaeology and building conservation.
“RESCUE believes that the country is close to reaching a point at which the provision of services designed to safeguard our historic environment is no longer adequate to meet the challenges that present themselves on a day-to-day basis. The report reviewed here is the fifth on such issues and the information that it contains is paralleled by the experience of other heritage organisations. The catalogue of losses continues to mount in spite of the publication of such reports and expressions of concern at the worsening situation. At what stage will we decide to act collectively to support under-resourced and vulnerable services and thus ensure that our historic sites and landscapes receive proper protection through the planning process?”
See their whole Statement here: http://rescue-archaeology.org.uk/2013/09/22/heritage-in-crisis-rescue-responds-to-the-fifth-report-on-local-government-heritage-staff-resources/
The Heritage Journal 
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26/09/2013 at 12:29
Keith Macdonald
Not so long ago, Tony Blair made some comment to the effect that teaching ancient history was not important. That may say more about his own willingness to learn from history. See the First Anglo-Afghanistan Wars (also known as Auckland’s Folly). Be that as it may, history does seems to be gradually dropping out of sight in the national Curriculum.
But – if you think it’s bad here, you need to go to places like Spain and Italy.
In Ecija, a small town in southern Spain, they recently discovered a well-preserved Roman forum, bath house, gymnasium and temple as well as dozens of private homes and hundreds of mosaics and statues. It was the lost city known as Colonia Augusta Firma Astigi. Its estimated 30,000 citizens dominated the olive oil industry. Terracotta urns from Ecija have been discovered as far away as Britain and Rome. So what did they do? They bulldozed it to build an underground municipal car park.
26/09/2013 at 14:59
Wilt
I would like to see more archaeologists give up their time to voluntarily work to conserve the resource and draw in the additional resource of all the amateur archaeologists and historical societies to assist. When times are tough, communities form to get the job done.
26/09/2013 at 16:15
heritageaction
A large number do.
26/09/2013 at 16:44
Wilt
Obviously not enough though otherwise there would not be a crisis of resource as currently.
26/09/2013 at 17:34
heritageaction
Well the planning process (which is what is being discussed) can hardly be administered by volunteers at weekends and evenings!