1. POS welcomes and supports the Bill.

2. The Bill carries forward provisions in the White Paper, Heritage Protection for the 21st Century, that the POS supported in providing comments for the LGA, in turn communicated to the DCMS, June 2007.

3. In particular the POS welcomes the Bill's provisions for bringing heritage into the Planning System. However this requires further detailed consideration and comment.

4. POS is remains concerned that increasing demands will be made on Council's conservation staff, and that extra funding is needed to increase training opportunities, standards and skill sets in planning authorities.

5. The need for extra funding applies also to English Heritage in order to implement the new system successfully - a point made by the POS to James Purnell in October 2007 in relation to the extra funding for English Heritage in the three-year spending review. Whilst welcome, the settlement in the Comprehensive Spending Review is unlikely to cover the additional range of responsibilities envisaged in the Bill.

6. There is concern that whilst DCMS will fund the costs of implementing the Bill, CLG sees local authorities as being responsible for allocating funding for heritage and conservation, despite increasing competing demands on staff and resources in the Planning System.

7. Further consideration of the provisions of the Bill need to be made, in particular relating to archaeology, and in this respect the comments of the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers should be sought.

8 POS supports the need for the voluntary heritage sector to play a role in implementing the reforms, and the successful partnership of the public and voluntary sectors can only be achieved with extra resources.

9. POS is keen to engage with DCMS and CLG at the development phase of the Bill in the lead-in to the next Parliamentary Session.

Ged Lawrenson, Chair Design and Delivery Committee; Planning Officers Society

Tel: 020 8545 3821; Fax: 020 8545 3326; Email: ged.lawrenson@merton.gov.uk