Memorandum submitted by English Heritage
(EM2-02)
SUMMARY
— Expenditure on grant aid by English Heritage
in the East Midlands is roughly proportionate to the region's
share of heritage assets in which English Heritage has a statutory
interest.
— Overall regional expenditure (including
operational costs) is of a slightly smaller proportion because
English Heritage has a property portfolio in the East Midlands
which requires comparatively lower staffing levels, and some services
for the region are delivered outside it.
INTRODUCTION TO
ENGLISH HERITAGE.
1. English Heritage (the Royal Commission
for Historic Buildings and Monuments in England) is the government's
statutory adviser on the historic environment. We are a Non-Departmental
Public Body funded by the Department of Culture Media and Sport
and by revenues from our properties and other activities.
2. Our statutory duties are:
(a) to secure the preservation of ancient monuments
and historic buildings situated in England;
(b) to promote the preservation and enhancement
of the character and appearance of conservation areas situated
in England;
(c) to promote the public's enjoyment, and advance
their knowledge of ancient monuments and historic buildings in
England and their preservation.
3. To fulfil this role, English Heritage
provides advice and grants, conducts research, and maintains properties
which are in its ownership or guardianship.
DETERMINANTS OF
SPENDING BY
ENGLISH HERITAGE
4. Information is provided at page 4 on
expenditure by English Heritage on activity designated as being
in the East Midlands in the last financial year (2008-09 actuals)
and this financial year (2009-10 budgets).
5. Nearly half of English Heritage's expenditure
is on national activities which cannot be allocated to regions
the expenditure which can be allocated to regions, the proportion
received by the East Midlands is identified in the right hand
column. This regional funding includes both the grant-aid and
operational expenditure of English Heritage in the region.
6. English Heritage makes initial budget
allocations to "territories" on the basis of previous
expenditure. The East Midlands is in English Heritage's East Territory
along with the East of England region. For grants, the two regions
agree a split of the Territory allocation. Spending by all regions
is monitored throughout the year, and if necessary later in the
year adjustments made to regional allocations. In the interests
of efficiency a number of specialist services are provided at
Territory level, mostly from English Heritage's Cambridge office.
Because they are located outside the East Midlands, some costs
associated with Territory-wide services are allocated to the East
of England region, and are not reflected in the regional figures
provided.
7. In practice the targeting of English
Heritage expenditure at regional level, on both grant aid and
operations, is largely determined largely by the distribution,
significance and condition of sites in which English Heritage
has a statutory interest. This gives rise to variation in spending
between and within regions. The principal factors affecting expenditure
are explained in more detail below.
Distribution of properties in English Heritage
guardianship
8. The number of English Heritage properties
in each region is the product of historical factors, from the
property's origins to more recent decisions about acquisition
and disposal. The last year has seen some significant investments
in East Midlands properties. However the East Midlands has less
than 6% of all monuments in English Heritage care. The region
also has relatively few major English Heritage properties, the
most visited being Bolsover Castle. Staffing levels for properties
are therefore also lower than many regions.
Distribution of designated heritage assets
9. English Heritage's expenditure on grants,
and on the provision of advice connected with the statutory planning
process, largely reflects the location of listed buildings, scheduled
monuments and other "designated" assets. In the East
Midlands in 2008-09, grants ranged from a total of £560,252 for
Elvaston Castle, Derbyshire, to numerous allocations each of less
than £5,000 for management agreements for field monuments.
10. The proportion of each type of asset
in the region is as follows:
| | %
|
| Listed buildings (Grade 1, II* and II) |
7.9 |
| Scheduled monuments | 7.7 |
| Registered parks and gardens | 8.5
|
| Registered battlefields | 11.6
|
| Registered wrecks | 0 |
| Conservation areas (estimate) | 12.1
|
| |
11. Among listed buildings outside London, only Grade
I and II* listed buildings are eligible for grants. Because Grade
II buildings are eligible in London, the region has only 6.0%
of listed buildings eligible for English Heritage grants.
12. Further factors determining the distribution of grant
funding include the following:
— Heritage significance: Not all applications
for repairs to eligible buildings can be funded. One of the criteria
for the prioritisation of funding is therefore the significance
(for instance, historic or artistic) of the asset
— Need for repair: English Heritage also seeks
to prioritise the cases in most urgent need of repair
— Capacity and ambition: By their nature grants
schemes require potential applicants to have sufficient capacity
to submit applications. English Heritage has two mechanisms for
overcoming the inherent risk of under-represented groups and communities
failing to capture their fair share of funding. In some cases
English Heritage will invite applications for grant aid. Furthermore
each region manages a Capacity Building Fund to enable voluntary
and community organisations to develop their ability to take on
grant-aided projects. For instance Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire
has been awarded £52,423 over the two financial years
to engage communities in protecting their "heritage at risk".
CONCLUSIONS
13. Expenditure of 8% and 9% of regional grant aid this
year and last year is broadly consistent with the region's endowment
of 6% of grant-eligible listed buildings, 8% of scheduled monuments
and 12% of conservation areas.
14. English Heritage's Regional Capacity Building Fund
can be used to maximise the share of English Heritage funds captured
by the region, but this analysis suggests that the scope for such
an increase in limited.
15. If operational costs are included, the region is
allocated 4% and 6% of total regional expenditure in 2009-10 and
2008-09 respectively. This lower proportion reflects English
Heritage's more modest property portfolio in the region, and the
provision to the region of some joint services from English Heritage's
office in the East of England.
2008-09 ACTUAL EXPENDITURE
| Expenditure in East Midlands
| Total
expenditure | All regionally designated expenditure
| | |
| £ | £
| % in EM | £
| % in EM |
Grants | 1,829,246
| 23,707,904 | 7.7 | 20,200,993
| 9.0 |
| Total expenditure | 5,333,483
| 182,332,781 | 2.9 | 95,385,370
| 5.6 |
2009-10 BUDGETED EXPENDITURE
| Expenditure in East Midlands | Total
expenditure
| All regionally designated expenditure
| | |
| | £ | £
| % in EM | £
| % in EM |
Grants | 1,545,000
| 24,470,537 | 6.3 | 18,994,000
| 8.1 |
| Total expenditure | 3,918,825
| 179,849,774 | 2.2 | 91,690,693
| 4.3 |
| |
| | | |
"Total expenditure" includes grants, operational
and running costs, sales and promotions and payroll.
5 October 2009
|
