Interview with a Design Champion

Design Champions are employed by some local authorities and work closely with the Civic Trust and civic societies to encourage and reward good design. Stephen Peel, Conservation and Design Officer at North East Lincolnshire Council is both a Design Champion and an assessor for the Civic Trust Awards. He says "I believe strongly that good design can substantially improve the lives of all people who come into contact with these buildings in all capacities, and that we have a duty as a society to provide such designs. I try to work with and encourage all local community groups by providing specialist advice and help whenever required, as well as actively promoting the general objectives of good design"

To read more about Stephen's role click here

Empowerment Fund Prospectus - Consultation

This consultation paper seeks views on a draft of the Empowerment Fund Prospectus which the Government intends to issue. This fund will provide support for existing national third sector organisations operating across England to help local communities turn key proposals into practical action on the ground.

The Civic Trust welcomes your views on the Proposed Empowerment Fund. The Government are proposing to establish a �7.5 million Fund which will provide over the three years 2008- 2011 support for existing third sector organisations operating cross England which are helping communities turn key proposals into practical action on the ground in such areas as community leadership, involvement in planning and social enterprise. The Civic Trust welcome comments from everyone but in particular from organisations involved in the areas of planning and social enterprise.

Our consultation period runs for 2 weeks to 10th September 2008 giving us enough time to prepare a response to government in time for the 31st September. We anticipate publishing our response to all Civic Societies within 1 month of the close of this deadline.

The consulation is being run by Communities and Local Government and applies to England only. This consulation paper can be downloaded online by clicking here

To fill in the online survey please click here

Become a Specialist Adviser to The Civic Trust

Over the past ten years, the Civic Trust has responded on behalf of its membership to over 140 government consultations on proposed new legislation concerning matters of importance to civic societies - an average of one a month. A full list can be seen on the website. "Detailed specialist knowledge on the full range of subjects of interest to civic societies is frequently needed - for example, town planning, heritage issues, housing and economic matters, etc.

If you would be interested in supporting us, please click here.

Tottenham Civic Society's Street Audit

Tottenham High Road, the two and a half mile long "historic corridor" from the Edmonton border in the north to the Hackney border in the south, is designated as six continuous conservation areas. It has a wealth of buildings including Georgian mansions, Victorian shopping terraces and Edwardian Baroque civic buildings in, what is now, a very deprived and run down part of London.

Click hereto view the full report from Tottenham Civic Society.

Win & Support with the 2008 Heritage Open Days Raffle

With less than a month to go, it's time to check out this year's Heritage Open Days event directory at www.heritageopendays.org and plan your Heritage Open Days trip. And while you are at it, why not buy a Raffle Ticket. For just �1 you can enter our new Heritage Open Days Raffle and win one of many great prizes, ranging from an English Heritage annual membership to a subscription to BBC Homes & Antiques or BBC History Magazine and DVDs and books signed by Griff Rhys Jones. What's more, each ticket sold will contribute to the growth and development of this wonderful event.

Good luck and thank you for supporting the future of Heritage Open Days, nationally and locally!

Heritage Legislation: Your views needed urgently

We have been invited to an English Heritage workshop on September 12th to discuss and identify key principles to be embodied in the Government's new Planning Policy Statement on Heritage Protection; this will replace PPG 15 (Historic Environment) and PPG16 (Archaeology). The aim will include agreeing the key principles in existing PPGs, identify policy issues which need to be covered, and discuss what parts of the Heritage Protection Bill need to be explained in policy terms in the PPS. You will by now have seen the Bill and our comments on it (on our website), and many of you will be familiar with the two PPGs as having guided heritage policy for many years. Please send yout comments or suggestions for us to take to the workshop to mhammerson@civictrust.org.uk

Apology to Salisbury Civic Society

The Civic Trust would like to apologise to the Salisbury Civic Society for the mistake in GRO 26 as the article for Better Streetscape Design read Salisbury District Council instead of Salisbury Civic Society.

Click here if you would like to read the full report from Salisbury Civic Society.

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