In a Press Release, English Heritage have said that the 32% cut in their budget will mean a significant reduction in the range and scope of services they are able to provide.
They outlined that they will devote their attention to 3 core activities:
-planning advice services, especially given the cuts in local authority funding;
-designation, ie identifying 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 their properties which EH have a responsibility to look after for future generations.
The real impact of these cuts will be that English Heritage will reduce their grants by around one third and they will take out at least 200 posts which will affect a wide range of our services.
Whilst English Heritage have undertaken to honour all existing grant commitments, this statement will provide seriously concern for imminent or planned projects, for which partnership funding is provided by English Heritage. This includes, amongst many other things:
- national thematic projects, for regional and local projects, such as Historic Landscape Characterisation and Extensive Urban Survey
- grants received for publication of old excavations
- grants received to stimulate archaeological research, either through regional Research Frameworks or working alongside developer-funded archaeology, including Aggregate Levy Sustainability Funding (for which English Heritage remains a delivery partner)
Rescue will continue to monitor the situation closely.
The full press release can be seen here.