C O N T E X T 1 1 3 : M A R C H 2 0 1 0 43 Notes from the chair My election shopping list You may have noticed that an election is due to take place. There have been subtle clues in the media. The outcome of the election will have consequences for those working with the built environment. Regional development agencies will either have an expanded spatial planning role or they will be abolished. Governmental organisations may be merged. The new government, whatever its colour, will have to walk a delicate path, cutting public expenditure without undermining a delicate economic recovery. This has to be of real concern to a heavily contracted development sector. Different parties are likely to have different targets for spending cuts. All of these could affect resources for heritage, from public budgets (staffing, funding for projects, grant schemes, and so on) to private sector investment. The competition for government spending will be fierce, so it is essential that the benefits heritage delivers – especially the economic ones – are appreciated. This leads me to the first item on my election shopping list: • Drop the current ways of measuring heritage impact and participation (based on visitor numbers). Replace them with measures that recognise the massive impact of heritage on economic development and regeneration. Especially in areas that have suffered from industrial decline, heritage has supported employment creation, small business development, innovation, enterprise and a range of community benefits. Essentially, heritage needs to be considered in terms of its full range of values to society today, as part of its social and economic infrastructure. It should not be viewed in purely cultural terms. Perhaps predictably, fiscal reform would also be on the shopping list: • Equalise VAT between new construction and building repairs. The imposition of VAT on repairs is socially regressive. It acts as a barrier to economic development and regeneration, especially in the most deprived areas. It is a barrier to sustainable development, as recognised by a key parliamentary select committee. The feedback we get from politicians in government and opposition parties is that the treasury will not accept any measure that would reduce tax intake. This raises the question of how much lowering VAT on repairs would reduce overall tax intake. VAT at 17.5 per cent is a substantial sum, and must make many projects unviable. Loss of taxation through reducing the rate could be partly offset by the additional intake resulting from more projects going ahead. This would involve expenditure on goods, generating employment, and creating improved or new space for businesses and other economic activities. My final item on the shopping list for the new government would be: • Introduce incentives or compulsion for local authorities to employ or have continual access to placemaking specialists, including heritage and urban design. There has been evidence over the past year to suggest that several local authorities have shed their design and conservation staff and teams, without making alternative specialist arrangements. It is unclear how they intend to fulfil their statutory duties under the planning acts without having such specialists. To stand any chance of being successful in these matters, we need to challenge a few surprisingly persistent misconceptions. Heritage does not impede investment, but supports more sustainable forms of regeneration and economic development. Most of our heritage is not about visitors and tourism. It is about providing homes for people across the social spectrum, providing accommodation for businesses, community facilities, recreational and health activities, and other uses that support the diverse needs of our society. Heritage is not something for a social elite; it often provides accommodation for minority groups that comprehensive redevelopment often can not. Managing and protecting heritage is not about preventing buildings and places from changing. It helps them to transform and accommodate changing needs. In the challenging economic climate facing the new UK government, and the governments in the devolved nations, it is crucial to communicate effectively that heritage is part of the solution. Dave Chetwyn, [email protected]
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