38 C O N T E X T 9 0 : J U LY 2 0 0 5 Who has been your greatest inspiration? I can’t think of any one person who has been an inspiration to me in my working life – but in my personal life my mother and my ‘adoptive’ grandfather, who was a very charismatic clergyman. What has been your best idea? I hope I haven’t had it yet. What would you like to have been if you had not become a conservationist? Some would say that, as an academic lawyer specialising in heritage law, I am not a conservationist anyway. I would like to have studied interior design if I had not become a lawyer. What is the biggest frustration in your job? The shift from measuring the valuable to valuing the measurable (not my words originally, but a brilliant way of summing up the problem).This is the curse of academic and educational institutions throughout the UK at the moment (and I suspect quite a lot of non-academic institutions too). What would you like to be doing in five years time? Streamlining the application process Membership notes IHBC council has been considering some basic changes to the way we deal with membership applications, and to the information given to potential applicants on the website. It recently approved some changes which are starting to be seen on the internet site. It would be helpful if all members encouraging others to apply for membership were aware of the changes to both process and requirements. For some time, since I took over as membership secretary, it has been apparent that applications are dealt with by different branches in different ways. It was also clear that the postal service is inefficient in transferring application forms between consultees, the office and me. Applications were lost in the system, and in many cases never reached me or the administration office. We have therefore moved to a centralised system where all applications will now go first to Lydia Porter at the administration office inTisbury. She will copy the information to branches for comments and endorsement, and acknowledge receipt to the applicant. Once on our system, branches will be asked to respond within a set period to allow membership committee consultees time to properly consider the applications with a view to a recommendation to council. We hope to offer guidance to branches based on the best present practice on assessment of initial applications.This is a very important role for the branches. The endorsement given can often make the difference between acceptance for full membership or affiliate status. Branches are in the position to give this guidance because, it is hoped, they will be aware of the candidate and their work, and be able to assess the experience of applicants with some confidence. We are working towards providing an efficient, fair and transparent system of dealing with membership applications. This will reinforce the high standards of the institute and keep potential candidates aware of the progress of their applications through the system. Membership numbers remain static as we are adding new members at roughly the same rate as we lose members for nonpayment of subscriptions, retirement and for other reasons. As of July, the membership includes 1,222 full members, 227 affiliates and 37 associates, a total of 1,486. Mike Lea, [email protected] Vox pop Carolyn Shelbourn is a lecturer in law at the University of Sheffield The following members were voted in at the council meeting on 9 June 2005. Welcome to you all. Full members Jason Bolton (RI) Tim Colquhoun (WA) Gary Cooper (WA) Debbie Dance (SO) Mike Franklin (SO) Simon Glynn (NW) Richard Maddison (YO) Shane Maddison (SW) Christopher Pacey (SW) Upgrade from affiliates to full members Andrew Hatton (YO) Leigh Johnston (SC) Ian McCaffery (NO) Alison McCandlish (NO) John-Paul Walker (EM) Affiliate members Caroline Ansell (WM) Dale Frary (WA) Edward Freedman (YO) Christopher Harris (SW) Malcolm James (SW) Fionn McIntosh (SC) Emma Nafzger (EA) Paul Robertshaw (NO) Samuel Souter (EA) Waziri Sudi (YO) Marc Timlin (LO) KateWarburton (SO) Still pretty much the same – I enjoy what I do.The research element of my job means that I am always discovering new things, and contact with the students helps to keep me feeling young. What is your favourite building? This is impossible – there are too many that I like. My tastes are pretty eclectic: everything from Lincoln Cathedral (in my home town) to the Guggenheim. What is your favourite place? In terms of an urban location, the French Quarter of New Orleans – architecturally and culturally a fascinating place, and one of the most laidback places I’ve been, but too hot to do much more than ‘let the good times roll’. I also love the coast – Hunting Island in South Carolina (an amazing place with an astonishing rate of erosion where the forest touches the beach) or, in the UK, somewhere like the North Cornish coast or the Gower. What do you do in your spare time? Reading, enjoying good food and drink, sleeping (not as much as I’d like, but often following the food and drink), gardening and visiting gardens. What organisations are you a member of? United Kingdom Environmental Lawyers Association, Society of Legal Scholars, National Trust, National Trust of USA, English Heritage. Which one issue would you particularly like the IHBC to campaign on? Inclusion.We need to ensure that heritage protection is not seen simply as a white, middle-class, middle-aged activity.We can learn from the USA here: my research has shown that there is often a much wider social mix of people involved in protecting historic areas.
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