English Heritage: a split decision
The organisation's new structure may save the taxpayer money, but heritage experts fear for its long-term future. Gareth Harris reports
The restructuring of English Heritage, splitting the organisation in two, will save the taxpayer money, according to the government, which confirmed the plans would go ahead following the recent publication of a consultation on the process.
But some heritage experts warn that the overhaul may leave the historic environment body under threat.
English Heritage will be reconstituted as a new charity, which will manage and promote more than 400 properties and sites in the National Heritage Collection, including Stonehenge and parts of Hadrian’s Wall.
A new non-departmental public body, Historic England, will be created to provide expert and impartial advice, and to champion the wider historic environment.
According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the new body will retain powers of planning and heritage protection.
Significantly, £80m of capital investment has been provided to make repairs to existing properties. A further £8.5m has been allocated to finance implementation of the new structure.
Laurie Magnus will remain the chairman of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (the official title of English Heritage), which will lead the work of Historic England. Simon Thurley, the chief executive of English Heritage, will stand down once the new structure is in place.
The public consultation document launched last year outlines that English Heritage will receive grant-in-aid on a declining basis from 2015 to 2022-23, when the subsidy will cease and English Heritage will, hopefully, become self-sufficient.
In 2013-14, English Heritage received just over half of its income, £99.8m, from the DCMS. During the same period, total self-generated income was £86.7m – £60.2m of which was earned from commercial activities.
“The target of financial self-sufficiency builds on years of commercial growth in the National Heritage Collection,” says a DCMS spokeswoman.
“Since 2005-06, the business has grown income by 87%, and the charity will now have more freedom to generate commercial and philanthropic income.”
No reduction will be made to English Heritage’s allocated budgets for 2014-15 and 2015-16. Historic England will receive grant-in-aid of £85.2m in 2016-17 and £84.4m in 2017-18; it will pay grants to English Heritage of £14.9m in 2016-17 and £14.4m in 2017-18 to underpin its operations.
Mike Heyworth, the director of the Council for British Archaeology, says: “We are concerned that the budgets for Historic England remain vulnerable to further government cutbacks, especially with limited capacity to generate additional revenue from outside the public sector.”
He adds that overall, however, the new arrangement is a “good deal for English Heritage”.
Meanwhile, culture secretary Sajid Javid points to English Heritage’s success in raising third-party funding, enabling projects such as the £27m Stonehenge visitor and exhibition centre to go ahead.
Jamie Larkin, a doctoral researcher in archaeology at University College London, says: “The biggest concern is whether this model is sustainable for both new organisations over the longer term and what happens if it proves not to be.”
Taken on trust
“It is clear from the National Trust that running properties commercially can work, and work well,” Larkin says. “But English Heritage is coming into the game with a different set-up and a mixed bag of properties.”
Larkin says that if the new plan succeeds, it will provide a more solid foundation for the preservation of historic assets.
“But there are still so many unknowns, both for English Heritage and the sector at large, that I think going forward, everyone with an interest in national heritage will be looking on with bated breath,” he adds.
English Heritage (National Heritage Collection)
National Trust
*Includes retail, catering and membership income, but excludes grants
Source: English Heritage and National Trust annual reports for 2013-14
But some heritage experts warn that the overhaul may leave the historic environment body under threat.
English Heritage will be reconstituted as a new charity, which will manage and promote more than 400 properties and sites in the National Heritage Collection, including Stonehenge and parts of Hadrian’s Wall.
A new non-departmental public body, Historic England, will be created to provide expert and impartial advice, and to champion the wider historic environment.
According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the new body will retain powers of planning and heritage protection.
Significantly, £80m of capital investment has been provided to make repairs to existing properties. A further £8.5m has been allocated to finance implementation of the new structure.
Laurie Magnus will remain the chairman of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (the official title of English Heritage), which will lead the work of Historic England. Simon Thurley, the chief executive of English Heritage, will stand down once the new structure is in place.
The public consultation document launched last year outlines that English Heritage will receive grant-in-aid on a declining basis from 2015 to 2022-23, when the subsidy will cease and English Heritage will, hopefully, become self-sufficient.
In 2013-14, English Heritage received just over half of its income, £99.8m, from the DCMS. During the same period, total self-generated income was £86.7m – £60.2m of which was earned from commercial activities.
“The target of financial self-sufficiency builds on years of commercial growth in the National Heritage Collection,” says a DCMS spokeswoman.
“Since 2005-06, the business has grown income by 87%, and the charity will now have more freedom to generate commercial and philanthropic income.”
No reduction will be made to English Heritage’s allocated budgets for 2014-15 and 2015-16. Historic England will receive grant-in-aid of £85.2m in 2016-17 and £84.4m in 2017-18; it will pay grants to English Heritage of £14.9m in 2016-17 and £14.4m in 2017-18 to underpin its operations.
Mike Heyworth, the director of the Council for British Archaeology, says: “We are concerned that the budgets for Historic England remain vulnerable to further government cutbacks, especially with limited capacity to generate additional revenue from outside the public sector.”
He adds that overall, however, the new arrangement is a “good deal for English Heritage”.
Meanwhile, culture secretary Sajid Javid points to English Heritage’s success in raising third-party funding, enabling projects such as the £27m Stonehenge visitor and exhibition centre to go ahead.
Jamie Larkin, a doctoral researcher in archaeology at University College London, says: “The biggest concern is whether this model is sustainable for both new organisations over the longer term and what happens if it proves not to be.”
Taken on trust
“It is clear from the National Trust that running properties commercially can work, and work well,” Larkin says. “But English Heritage is coming into the game with a different set-up and a mixed bag of properties.”
Larkin says that if the new plan succeeds, it will provide a more solid foundation for the preservation of historic assets.
“But there are still so many unknowns, both for English Heritage and the sector at large, that I think going forward, everyone with an interest in national heritage will be looking on with bated breath,” he adds.
How they shape up
English Heritage (National Heritage Collection)
- Number of properties More than 400
- Annual visitors 5.73m
- Number of members 1.32m
- Total “earned” income* £60.2m
National Trust
- Number of properties More than 350
- Annual visitors Almost 20m
- Number of members 2m (inc joint)
- Total “earned” income* £460.3m
*Includes retail, catering and membership income, but excludes grants
Source: English Heritage and National Trust annual reports for 2013-14