Contractor Archaeological Services

 The Secretary of State, the heritage bodies of the Devolved Administrations and the ACHWS are assisted by a team of contract diving archaeologists.  Prior to March 2003 the team was contracted to DCMS to visit and report on the suitability, condition and quality of sites and the work of licensees upon them.  From May 2003 English Heritage has taken over administration of the contract.  The Archaeological Diving Unit of the University of St Andrews held the contract from 1986 - April 2003. The current diving contractor is Wessex Archaeology.

The diving contractor's main aims in respect of designated sites and licensees are:

• to ascertain the extent of work undertaken by licensees on designated sites;
• to discuss working methods with the licensee and diving team;
• to observe standards of work by the team and general compliance with specific licence conditions;
• to provide general advice and assistance, if required;
• to provide a report on each site visit to DCMS (and the Devolved Administrations where appropriate), which will assist in the proper discharge of their duties to the relevant Secretary of State and Ministers.

Wessex Archaeology: from left Frank Mallon, Jen Black, Dave Burden, Jens Auer, Graham Scott, Simon Adey-Davies The contractor is one of the heritage agency and ACHWS's main sources of information about both designated and non-designated sites.  It also provides technical comment on issues such as archaeology and the diving at work regulations.  Its reports form the basis of papers for ACHWS meetings and contain information about the current condition of sites, threats, standards of work on and off site, comment on publicity, issues and recommendations.