Heritage Link offers hosting facility for civic society network
The Civic Society Initiative (CSI) set up last June to assess the demand by civic societies in England for a new national body in the wake of the Civic Trust. In October it published Own the Future, presenting an analysis of an extensive debate about the future of the civic society movement and drew together a set of proposals and issues for consultation.
Heritage Link responded to the consultation endorsing the value of the civic society movement and its contribution to England’s active historic built environment sector at both local and national level. It also identified three areas that should be clarified before the next consultation in January – the coverage required to set up a ‘national’ body, a more accurate financial appraisal and over the decision making process.
Heritage Link also offered a cost effective, light touch solution, similar to that created at their own request by the placesofworship@heritagelink group. Taking advantage of some of Heritage Link’s existing structures, such a network could be a flexible way of keeping in touch, with its own identity but with minimal overheads until, if required, further funds were secured to add additional services. Heritage Link has asked that the proposal should be considered in the next stage of discussion.
