Activities of HEACS

HEACS is taking forward the four issues Patricia Ferguson, the then Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport identified for working on over the 3 years from June 2006. The issues are:

• To identify for Scottish Ministers the economic impact of the historic environment in Scotland;
• To map the infrastructure of the historic environment as it relates to the voluntary sector, professional associations and private sector organisations, and to make recommendations on actions that may need to be taken to fill gaps and optimise coverage;
• To provide advice to Scottish Ministers on how best to secure the long-term conservation of Scotland's rich and diverse ecclesiastical heritage in a time of demographic change; and
• To identify to Scottish Ministers what strategies could be developed for attracting young adults to get engaged in protecting, conserving, understanding and enjoying the historic environment.

Two of the issues - the economic impact of the historic environment, and the infrastructure of the historic environment - had already been identified by HEACS and work on them had already commenced. HEACS is currently considering how it will approach the other two issues, conserving the ecclesiastical heritage and engaging young adults.

The Minister's interim and final responses to its four reports submitted last year are available in PDF format from the Documents page. HEACS is grateful to those who responded to the reports or to the Minister's own response. HEACS looks forward to the Scottish Government's final responses to the four reports.

HEACS is keeping a number of other issues under review. These include:

• the role of local authorities;
• archaeology and farming; and
• the potential implications for the historic environment of sustainability and climate change.

HEACS continues to respond to relevant public consultations, such as the Culture Bill.

An outline timetable of meetings and events has been agreed for 2008. Council will undertake a Study Tour of Caithness in June and the National Conference and Public Meeting will take place on 17 September in Ayr.