Call for 'conservation juries' to advise on nation's heritage sites

Members of the public should be recruited into "conservation juries" to advise on monuments such as Stonehenge and the Cutty Sark, a think tank said today.

A study by Demos warned Britain's cultural heritage was under threat from a lack of Government attention, funding cuts threatening conservation training courses and less interest among young people.

Demos' report said the public needed to take a bigger role in conservation of the country's landmarks and culture in order to prevent a long term decline of our heritage.

It recommended those involved in conserving Britain's heritage should visit schools and encourage more volunteering, while space should be devoted in every museum to an object contributed and cared for by a member of the local public that represents the community.

And conservation juries - similar to citizen juries - should be set up to take into account public opinion on certain projects where a large amount of money is going to be spent.

The juries would not be given overall authority to make decisions but could prioritise schemes for conservation and recommend how to involve the public in heritage projects, the report said.

The researchers also suggested a national conservation day, which they named Save for the Nation, on which communities should identify an object, building or even an important idea and get involved in its upkeep.

The It's A Material World report also called on the Government to develop a new policy agenda to focus on the importance to society of preserving heritage, and sustain UK conservation education.

According to the study, more than half Europe's conservation training takes place in the UK but several of the country's courses are under threat.

Samuel Jones, one of the report's authors, said: "Conservation is vital for Britain - 85% of overseas visitors say they come here for the heritage, museums and galleries.

"But with a tough economic outlook and young people less and less interested in heritage, we may be seeing the thin end of the wedge.

"We need to protect conservation education and prevent a crisis before it happens."

And he said: "Britain has incredible heritage and visiting figures show that people value it, but we can't take it for granted. If we don't want to lose it we have to share the work.

"Conservators must do much more to open up what they do to the public, and the public needs to take more responsibility for the environment we live in."

Michael Day, chief executive of Historic Royal Palaces, which is responsible for the Tower of London and Hampton Court, said: "The conservation profession has to widen its scope, to look at the broader role conservation plays and embrace public engagement."

A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the Government took the protection of the country's cultural heritage very seriously.

"That's why we invest heavily in museums and the built heritage each year, and that's why we are committed to keeping heritage as one of the good causes supported by the National Lottery when the present licence ends," he said.

"Public involvement and volunteering are vital in supporting the care and conservation of the cultural heritage, both for objects and for buildings.

"Latest figures show there are at least 440,000 volunteers sharing their time to care for the historic environment alone while many Government sponsored museums have been promoting conservation skills to the public.

"Conservation skills are also highlighted during events such as National Archaeology Week and Heritage Open Days which are funded by English Heritage.

"The Heritage Lottery Fund has been making its contribution too, through a number of bursary schemes totalling £7 million."