Source:
Daily Mail {Main}
Edition:
Country:
UK
Date:
Tuesday 12, January 2010
Page:
25
Area:
92 sq. cm
Circulation:
ABC 2148571 Daily
BRAD info:
page rate £32,508.00, scc rate £129.00
Phone:
020 7938 6000
Keyword:
English Heritage
Diversity drive
at heritage
sites ‘was a
waste of cash’
TARGETS to increase the diver-
sity of visitors to castles, abbeys
and stately homes were
described as a waste of money
last night.
The Commons public accounts
committee said a Government
drive to increase the number
of ethnic minority, disabled
and poor people at historic
sites had been so badly run
it posed ‘serious risks to value
for money’.
English Heritage, which man-
ages more than 400 ancient mon-
uments, was set a series of diver-
sity targets five years ago as a
condition of its £125million-a-
year budget.
But MPs found the targets had
made little impact on the type of
people visiting historic sites.
Edward Leigh, the Tory chair-
man of the committee, described
them as ‘unrealistic’ and said nei-
ther ministers nor officials at the
Department for Culture, Media
and Sport appeared to have any
idea how to achieve them.
Mr Leigh said: ‘The proportion
of the UK population visiting his-
toric sites is already some 70 per
cent, an impressive total, and
most of the people who don’t
visit say that they are not inter-
ested in doing so.
‘It is hard to see what useful
purpose was achieved by setting
targets to increase visits from
this or that under-represented
group.’
The targets have since been
quietly dropped.
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printing of digital cuttings), digital reproduction/forwarding of the cutting is permitted except under licence from the copyright owner.
A9681-3
Article Page 1 of 1
143590735 - SIMNIZ - 31408857
Source:
Daily Telegraph, The {Main}
Edition:
Country:
UK
Date:
Tuesday 12, January 2010
Page:
9
Area:
117 sq. cm
Circulation:
ABC 744151 Daily
BRAD info:
page rate £46,000.00, scc rate £214.00
Phone:
020 7931 2000
Keyword:
English Heritage
By Stephen Adams
fail. Edward Leigh, the
attract enough people from
Arts Correspondent
committee chairman, said:
lower socio-economic groups
“The proportion of the UK
or those with disabilities.
AN INITIATIVE to encourage
population visiting historic
Mr Leigh, a Conservative
more people from minorities
sites is already some 70 per
MP, criticised how the project
to visit historic sites has been
cent, an impressive total, and
was set up, saying there was
pointless, MPs have said.
most of the people who don’t
“no way of measuring the
English Heritage was set
visit say that they are not
impact” of actions to bring in
“unrealistic targets” to attract interested in doing so.
people from those groups.
more ethnic minorities,
“It is hard to see what
He said: “There was no
poorer people and those with
useful purpose was achieved
point in the department
disabilities, according to a
by setting targets to increase
setting targets to widen
report by the Commons’
visits from this or that under-
participation when it did not
public accounts committee.
represented group.”
know how achievable they
The MPs said the
The Department for
were.”
government project was
Culture, Media and Sport met
A department spokesman
poorly conceived because
its aim for the number of
said it continued to set
most people visited historic
people from black and ethnic
“realistic targets” when
sites of their own accord and
minority groups visiting
making investment decisions
trying to convince those who
historic sites between 2005
to get more people to take
had no interest was likely to
and 2008. But it failed to
part in culture and sport.
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printing of digital cuttings), digital reproduction/forwarding of the cutting is permitted except under licence from the copyright owner.
A9681-3
Article Page 1 of 1
143584338 - SIMNIZ - 31402988
Source:
Guardian, The {Main}
Edition:
Country:
UK
Date:
Tuesday 12, January 2010
Page:
11
Area:
97 sq. cm
Circulation:
ABC 305240 Daily
BRAD info:
page rate £11,400.00, scc rate £42.00
Phone:
020 3353 2000
Keyword:
English Heritage
Heritage site
visitor targets
‘pointless’
Polly Curtis
Whitehall correspondent
Targets to increase the number of black,
disabled and economically disadvantaged
people who visit England’s historical
attractions are today branded “pointless”
by MPs . The public accounts committee
said that three key 2008 targets – of which
all but one were missed – were unrealis-
tic and set without any plan for how they
would be achieved.
The committee’s report criticises the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s
strategy, arguing that 70% of people visit
historical sites and citing polls suggesting
that the other 30% choose not to.
English Heritage, the main agency
responsible for delivering the targets to
increase the proportion of visitors who
are from ethnic minorities, poorer homes
or have a disability, failed to measure
whether its efforts were even affecting
the rates of visitors, it says.
The report also raises concerns about a
20% decline in the number of school chil-
dren visiting English Heritage sites .
Cuts to English Heritage’s £125m annual
budget have forced the agency to focus
more on its money-making ventures than
its public role, it claims.
The Tory MP Edward Leigh, chairman
of the committee, said: “It is hard to see
what useful purpose was achieved by set-
ting targets to increase visits from this or
that under-represented group . ”
The DCMS said: “We welcome the com-
mittee’s recognition of the continuing
high level of heritage participation in this
country. The department believes that
value for money is really important when
investment decisions are taken. That is
why realistic targets continue to be set for
our objective to get more people partici-
pating across culture and sport. ”
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printing of digital cuttings), digital reproduction/forwarding of the cutting is permitted except under licence from the copyright owner.
A9681-3
Article Page 1 of 1
143596436 - SIMNIZ - 31410863
Source:
Edition:
Country:
UK
Date:
Tuesday
1, September
2009
durrants
Page:
11
Area:
339 sq. cm
Circulation:
ABC 7316 Monthly
BRAD info:
page rate £927.00, sec rate £68.00
Phone:
02074266970
Keyword:
English Heritage - Non national
Access to heritage still denied
a difference to the rise in
National Trust Scotland,
Audit office report
organisation is re-evaluating
the ethnic minority visitor
Historic Scotland and the
identifies weaknesses
the way in which it monitors
figures. Indeed, ~
Welsh Assembly's historic
with policies and targets
visitors by asking whether
Heritage was unable to
environment service, Cadw.
its on-site questionnaires
confirm whether its Sites
Some record figures for
are effective and using its
of Memory research project
visitors with a disability,
Midlands-based Whose
A "weak link" between
for the Bicentenary of the
as they pay a separate
Story project as a pilot for
the Department for Culture,
Abolition of the Slave
entry fee. Although each
monitoring particular groups.
Media and Sport's (DCMS)
Trade Act in 2OO7,had
organisation's website may
Ling Wong says that until
policy objectives to broaden
any bearing on the increase
boast that its properties are
organisations start properly
participation, and the
in these figures.
broadening access and have
monitoring visitors, rather
targets agreed with English
English Heritage says
facilities for everyone, they
than being purely "gestural",
Heritage, has resulted
it had not been asked to
then fail to evaluate how
things won't change much.
in only small increases
measure the diversity of
well they are doing.
She says the ultimate measure
in the number of people
visitors to its properties.
A lack of resources
is the
VIsit Britain model,
from underrepresented
Instead, it agreed with DCMS
may contribute to these
where visitors are recorded
groups visiting the historic
to become a partner in the
organisations' reluctance to
on the same day year on year.
environment (see table).
Museums, Libraries and
invest in monitoring visitors'
Progress should be
A report from the National
Archives Council's Taking
use of their sites. Why coDect
made in November, when
Audit Office (NAO), entitled
Part Survey, which measures
categorised figures when
a parliamentary
committee
Promoting Participation with
the public's behaviour
there are limited resources
hearing will give English
the Historic Environment,
and attitude towards
to do anything about the
Heritage and the department
found that although there
heritage sites.
information gained?
for culture a chance to
were increases in visitors
]udyLingWong,
UK
The report also notes
present their positions on
from ethnic minorities,
that English Heritage faced
director of the Black
the issues raised by the
lowersocio-economic
groups
financial pressures that led
Environment Network,
NAOreport.
and those with a limiting
it to focus on maximising
which consults with heritage
disability - the target
NAOrecommendations
revenue. This consequently
organisations to increase
(achieving at least a 3
compromised its decisions
inclusivity, says she can
• As a matter of urgency.
percentage point rise between
on how to broaden
understand that viewpoint.
DCMS and EngIish.HEiritage
2OOS-06and 2007-08) was
participation with the
She worked with the
to agree clear and relevant
met only in the first group.
historic environment
National Trust to launch
measurestoSS$eSS~
Although itmanaga;
only
The DCMS said it was
a diversity policy in 2006.
Heritage'sperfonnance
Sper cent of England's
"regrettable" that some
When the policy was
• English Heritage Should
historic sites, the report
targets were missed, but
introduced. those who
benchmark. the cost and impact
says that as a govemment-
overall, the performance of
really wanted change used
of its outreach activities against
sponsored department,
the heritage sector was good.
it to their benefit, says
similar organisations
English Heritage has a
Asa government-funded
Ling Wong.
• English Heritage should
remit to influence the wider
body, English Heritage
The National Trust
profile the communities
around
sector by promoting and
divides visitors into
welcomes 12 million people
its properties and produce an
spreading good practice.
categories. But many heritage
annually to its 3OO-plus
actiOn plan for each to.raise
But the NAO concludes
and historic environment
historic house and gardens
levels of engagement
that it is unclear to what
organisations fail to do so,
and 49 industrial monuments
extent the actions ofDCMS
including the National Trust,
and mills. Head of access-for-
or English Heritage made
all, Heather Smith, says the
VISitors to historic sites (DCMS Taking ParlSurvey)
Priority
Group
%lncreaael
Statistically
(decrease)
signlficanUncrease
81ac1<and mInorityelhnic
3.4
Yes
Limiting dSabIIity
1.5
No
L.owersocio-ecOnOmic group
2.3
Yes
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printing of digital cuttings), digital reproduction/forwarding of the cutting is permitted except under licence from the copyright owner.
~9681-3
