Memorandum submitted by English Heritage
(BW 40)
Related to the specific circumstance of reduction
of British Waterways' grant-in-aid by 12.5% in financial year
2006-07 and DEFRA's forecast that it is likely to remain at this
level, English Heritage makes the following observations:
1. Much good has been achieved by BW in
recent years in re-orientating itself towards care of its very
extensive historic estate comprised of locks, aqueducts, canal
overbridges etc. Welcome evidence of this change of approach
from utilitarian repairs and unsympathetic alterations to historic
features of the network dictated by ensuring continuity of operation
to a more balanced policy of also answering the need to conserve
historic fabric is provided by the title of BW's current Annual
Report: Public Benefits from Historic Waterways.
2. The background to this change of approach
appears to be a change of culture within BW—largely guided
by its current Head of Heritage—initially through dissemination
of formal advice throughout BW and more recently reinforced by
informal encouragement of sound conservation principles and practice,
primarily through regular periodic visits to waterway units of
all areas. This high-level advice is now supplemented by the employment
of Unit-based Heritage Advisers; after a slow start, these specialists
now appear to be employed in the majority of waterway units.
3. Considering the improvements that have
been achieved through the developments briefly described above,
it would be ironic and deeply regrettable if the current radical
reduction in grant-in-aid suffered by BW has an adverse effect
on its responsibilities as steward of a very extensive historic
estate, either through shedding of personnel with related expertise
or/and cancellation/postponement of capital works directed to
the repair and conservation of historic fabric.
English Heritage
January 2007
| 
