Welcome to the latest edition of the HELM newsletter. We are delighted to present this quarterly newsletter for your interest.

Your next update will be May 2009.

Local Government Association / English Heritage Conference: how your heritage can work for you: making the most of the local historic environment

On 3 February 2009 the Local Government Association will be hosting a conference designed to support local authorities in making the most of their historic environment. The day will include sessions on heritage protection reform, climate change and regeneration. It will also include presentations from both Barbara Follet, Minister for Culture, Creative Industries & Tourism, and English Heritage Chief Executive Simon Thurley. For more information on the days program and how you can sign up, or you can contact Owain Lloyd-James on .

National Heritage Champions Conference

The National Heritage Champions Conference took place on 23 October 2008 in central London. The day included sessions from colleagues at the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Department for Communities and Local Government, as well as presentations on both being a Champion, from Chantal Wilson, the Champion for Wealden District Council in Kent, and on working with Champions from Kevin Morris, Policy Manager at North Dorset District Council.

An excellent turnout meant that each of these morning sessions were followed by lengthy discussions.

The afternoon saw more intensive discussion sessions, led by English Heritage, on Heritage Protection Reform and Heritage at Risk, two key developing areas for both local authorities and the historic environment sector.

The conference was followed by first a walking tour of the Lincoln’s Inn area, and then a candlelight drinks reception at the unique Sir John Soane’s Museum.

English Heritage is currently collating each of the presentations, as well as accounts of the day for inclusion on the HELM website. That should be completed in the near future.

The Queen’s Speech on 3 December did not include the Heritage Protection Bill as part of government’s legislative programme for the 2008/9 Parliamentary Session.  The news came as a disappointment but in the current political and economic climate, the government’s decision is understandable, and as Ministers have stated, this is only a temporary delay.

The Government has made it clear that it remains firmly committed to the legislation and the reform process.

More than two thirds of the reforms proposed in the 2007 White Paper Heritage Protection Reform for the 21st Century can proceed immediately.  Major English Heritage heritage protection reform initiatives during 2009 include a major training and capacity building programme, and an exciting public engagement programme to set new priorities for national designation.  More details are available on the English Heritage Heritage Protection Reform pages.

Another major step forward is the Government’s commitment to publish for consultation in spring 2009 a Planning Policy Statement for the historic environment, replacing PPGs 15 and 16.

Using the new Planning Policy Statement, accompanying Guidance and forthcoming English Heritage initiatives as a new focus for reform, we can still achieve many of our goals to improve the system, widen public involvement and simplify protection processes.

Recent publications include:

Constructive Conservation in Practice

Constructive Conservation is the broad term adopted by English Heritage for a positive and collaborative approach to conservation that focuses on actively managing change.

Download Constructive Conservation in Practice.

LEADER and the Historic Environment

This publication describes some of the important work carried out by the LEADER+ Programme to realise the potential of the historic environment. The work relies on direct community involvement and has secured other economic, social and environmental benefits.

Download LEADER and the Historic Environment.

Theft of metal roof coverings from churches and other historic buildings

English Heritage Guidance Note: Theft of metal roof coverings from churches and other historic buildings.

Download Theft of metal roof coverings from churches and other historic buildings.

Heating and Ventilation

This publication provides an illustrated historical outline of the heating and ventilating branch of building engineering services, principally during the19th century.

Download Heating and Ventilation.

Luminescence Dating

Guidelines on using luminescence dating in archaeology.

Download Luminescence Dating.

The outline 2009 HELM training programme is now available. Guided by feedback from course participants, it includes the popular courses on Conservation Areas, Cemeteries, Historic School Buildings and Farm Buildings. Further details will be uploaded onto the HELM website when available.

Heritage Protection Reform training has begun with a series of four workshops on ‘Management Agreements for Heritage Assets’ in February and March. This are fully booked but a programme of HPR training is being developed including local lists, defining special interest, and Historic Environment Records. Details will be made available on the HELM website training pages.

HELM training courses are ‘free of charge’. Courses are frequently oversubscribed, we therefore recommend that colleagues note their interest in a course by e-mailing to avoid disappointment.

We have received very positive feedback on the high level of training provided:

HELM continues to collect case studies from throughout England to demonstrate the benefits of good decision-making in the historic environment. These are local stories which put theory into practice and show real results with positive benefits. Case studies can inspire innovative solutions, disseminate ideas and keep people informed of initiatives in their area.

To find out more and receive a case studies form, visit the HELM website case studies section or .

Kew Palace

The refurbishment of Kew Palace was done with great attention to detail, creating a fully accessible, historically accurate re-presentation of the house at the time of George III, and reopening the house to the public after many years.

Kew Palace HELM Case Study

Household Cavalry Museum

New museum use has revealed previously unseen parts of the building, giving the public a sense of its history.  The structure of the museum installation has been designed to be subordinate to the original building.

Household Cavalry Museum HELM case study

HELM Website Redesign

Following user feedback and site expansion, the redesigned HELM website has launched.

We welcome your comments on the new website which you can submit at . There is also an online feedback form on the website which you can use to submit feedback.

Contact details

If you have any queries relating to this newsletter please email or phone Timothy Brooks on . If you wish to unsubscribe, please use the unsubscribe link.