Local Authority Conservation Provision

Most aspects of day-to-day building conservation work are undertaken by local authorities, who thus play a pivotal role in the protection of the historic environment. In 2002 English Heritage and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation commissioned some key research from the School of the Built Environment at Oxford Brookes University. Its purpose was to examine the level of service provision for the built historic environment and the report has been published as the Survey of Local Authority Conservation Provision in England [PDF full report].

For the first time we now have a clear picture of how local authorities deal with the historic environment. The overwhelming impression is of a conservation service that is frequently over-stretched, under-resourced and operating without many of the necessary policy and data 'building blocks' that would ensure an effective, efficient and balanced service.

Local authorities are likely to face considerable difficulties in addressing their responsibilities for managing the historic environment unless they can identify more resources and incentives to improve performance, such as the introduction of local performance indicators which reflect the extent of the historic assets in their care.  

PDF Version of the Local Authority Conservation Provision report

Word Version of the Local Authority Conservation Provision report

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