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Call for 'conservation juries'
28.11.08
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Members of the public should be recruited into "conservation juries" to advise on monuments such as Stonehenge and the Cutty Sark, a think tank has said.
A study by Demos warned Britain's cultural heritage was under threat from a lack of Government attention, funding cuts threatening conservation training courses and less interest among young people.
Demos' report said the public needed to take a bigger role in conservation of the country's landmarks and culture in order to prevent a long-term decline of our heritage.
It recommended those involved in conserving Britain's heritage should visit schools and encourage more volunteering, while space should be devoted in every museum to an object contributed and cared for by a member of the local public that represents the community.
And conservation juries - similar to citizen juries - should be set up to take into account public opinion on certain projects where a large amount of money is going to be spent.
The juries would not be given overall authority to make decisions but could prioritise schemes for conservation and recommend how to involve the public in heritage projects, the report said.
The researchers also suggested a national conservation day, which they named Save for the Nation, on which communities should identify an object, building or even an important idea and get involved in its upkeep.
The It's A Material World report also called on the Government to develop a new policy agenda to focus on the importance to society of preserving heritage, and sustain UK conservation education.
According to the study, more than half Europe's conservation training takes place in the UK but several of the country's courses are under threat.
Samuel Jones, one of the report's authors, said: "Conservation is vital for Britain - 85% of overseas visitors say they come here for the heritage, museums and galleries. But with a tough economic outlook and young people less and less interested in heritage, we may be seeing the thin end of the wedge. We need to protect conservation education and prevent a crisis before it happens."
