Ertach Kernow/ Heritage Cornwall Minutes

Ertach Kernow/ Heritage Cornwall Minutes

March 22nd 2017, Council Chamber, Truro. 9-11am

Attending: Ross Simmonds (RS), Mike Hawkey (MH), Nick Johnson (NJ), Ian Wall (IW), David Edmondson (DE), Merv Davey (MD), Claire Jacques (CJ), Colette Beckham (CB), Win Scutt (WS), Rachael Bice (RB).

Opening comments:

·  Add Claire Jacques as lead for CHT to mailing list

·  Continue to request IoS, Duchy and Old Cornwall Society representation

·  Claire asked for culture board minutes and membership to be shared to enable checks on direction and cross over, some common members would be helpful.

·  Board meetings to start after 9.30am.

·  Initial the membership list to help understanding of minutes.

Minutes of last meeting:

·  Win reported an update to the statement of intent and minutes by email.

·  Consider HAZ items at next Board

·  Proposal for a meeting at Tintagel in April

·  Noted that Cllr Biscoe’s item at last Board is a legislative matter to be given consideration in Strategy development, rather than being an activity of the Devolution Deal delivery.

·  Noted that Cornwall has capability and tools to manage heritage that could be used more extensively.

·  Potential opportunity to investigate the frequency with which multiple designations occur i.e. Scheduled Monuments and SSSI’s. ACTION: RB

Appointment of Chair of the Board

Due to Nigel Blackler’s new role he stepped down from Chairing the Board, group reviewed the Terms of Reference that sets out the options for appointing a new Chair. The group discussed options and a proposal for Rachael Bice to become Chair (Proposed by Nick Johnson, seconded by Win Scutt and agreed by all present) to provide continuity of responsibility by the Council for the leadership and running of the Board and Devolution Deal Delivery.

Discussion of Distinctiveness Study

Overall the report on the study was welcomed by the Board with positive comments on the emerging outcomes. Specific comments were made as follows:

·  RS – it has national and local significance as simple effective tool

·  DE – will have use in Neighbourhood Plans

·  MD – appreciates the capturing of the intangible too – recommend splitting out folk from spiritual, also historic and folk traditions are different interpretations. ACTION: RB to speak to Dan Ratcliffe (DR)

·  Group had a discussion about balancing the relative importance of tangible and intangible – concluding it is unresolvable and needs dynamic management and attention and this should be a role of the Board.

·  CB reflected that the overall welcome of work which leads to a question of where now? Are the tools for planning or PR?

·  Suggested considering both SPD and Distinctiveness Study at the next Board ACTION: RB/DR

·  RS asked how would children interact with this work?

·  CJ asked how to share the work with the Culture Board?

·  Suggested the Heritage Strategy needs to cover: planning, designation, management and interpretation, research, physical remains management

·  The Distinctiveness Study needs to separate distinctiveness, character and the exceptional – so both distinctiveness and character exist with common and exotic examples.

·  CB proposed the theme of Time Depth should be added – recognising the extent of this in Cornwall and that it is not common to get so many features in one place and that the special and the long lived have a connection.

·  Study needs to acknowledge separate components of intangible and place distinctiveness and to translate them both for a planning purpose and for PR too. NJ used wrestling field as an example of how this can be done.

·  CB- needs to draw out significance – value and vulnerability and also translate this for professionals and the public. Idea to conveny sensitivity to change and capacity to change.

·  Board noted differentiation about where new and historic culture should be considered – proposed historic culture at EK/HC and new culture by Culture Board. ACTION: RB/ DR to follow up.

·  Need to review how WHS is considered, as it has its own Board. ACTION: RB/ DR to talk to Cllr Julian German

·  Group discussed joining up the professional and everyday messages, who is the audience for each and considering dissemination methods to schools and education institutions, tourism, neighbourhood planning groups. Thus outputs need to be packaged for planners , archaeologists, schools, tourism and HE place check tool etc.

·  Group agreed Heritage needs a higher profile and study could help this.

·  NJ highlighted the need to think of place in its broad sense of the HE definition of place.

·  Noted Theme 2 and international connectivity which means there are cultural linkages and therefore places abroad to which might be examples of Cornish distinctiveness.

·  Theme 3 noted linguistic research and place names research should be drawn on.

·  Theme 4 – under economic split out:

o  Connectivity and communications –earliest satellite, radio, cables etc

o  Geology and geographical - sustainable energy, tidal, geothermal etc

o  Pick up heritage in agriculture now as well as practise of past – refer to Ann Reynolds’s work?

o  Transportation

o  Tourism

·  IW noted need to remember the connection to museum collections and the curation of place based history the museum can provide

·  RS proposed how this could influence heritage in education – locally specific examples for the topics in the national curriculum and national issues - use Cornwall example as a lens to look at them through.

·  Sandra Sandcliff suggested as appropriate contact.

Discussion of Forum

·  Proposed to help foster connection in the sector 5 minute quick fire for all organisations – under a ‘stronger together’ banner could be useful. Idea of jigsaw of groups and activities.

·  Suggested we use CHT database of contacts for invites ACTION DR/ Richard Haycock

·  Forum to help shape leadership in sector and barrier breakdown

·  Should provide foundation for Strategy development and consider how investment can be made and increased and the political messages around heritage. Forum form and produce Strategy for joint delivery

·  Thought is required to consider the future of the Board and Forum beyond the Devolution Deal and how it interacts with Strategy development and delivery.

·  Suggested agenda items for whole day meeting to give networking time:

1.  Distinctiveness presentation

2.  Quick fire who and what

3.  Planning and WHS

4.  EH and HE

5.  Work programme

·  Proposed not to be held in CC chamber and some facilitated workshops on different topics

AOB

·  Group to note proposals for A30 – St Austell link and impact on heritage features

·  Note Elizabeth Page as new HE regional representative?

·  Note meetings being held between Historic England and CC Chief Officers.

·  Group to seeks out positive stories to share