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cIFA: Closed-Shop for UK Archaeology?
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CR
29 posts

cIFA: Closed-Shop for UK Archaeology?
Oct 26, 2017, 12:37
Is the cIFA closing down decision making about Heritage and Planning, effectively restricting decisions as to how impacts on heritage are mitigated to a very small group of corporate executives and consultants ? ? ?

The Chartered Institute For Archaeologists is proposing to create a new status of 'chartered' archaeologist - this will essentially be validation of a few of the existing corporate executives of archaeological companies who work for industry and construction clients.

The vast majority, and all amateur archaeologists will be considered unworthy of undertaking any form of commercial work or conducting projects under their own name. At the same time a small number of 'uber'-consultants will accumulate credit for vast numbers of projects done 'in their authority'.

However it goes, we are looking at a system that is very far from publicly accountable - if you complain to a Council about local mitigation work for example, you will simply be told it was done by a 'chartered' organization, and to take it up with them > as a non-public body that chartered institute does not even have to reply, let alone investigate its members, especially when they are often the same people who the chief executives/managing directors of archaeological companies working for industrial and construction clients.

People need to be aware that the planning system in their local areas is seriously under threat, and that in future they have virtually no say at all in regard of Heritage and Archaeology.

The majority of archaeologists are not happy about this > but the CIFA represents only a proportion of professionals, and has allowed only a tiny fraction of its own members a vote in a recent meeting about this issue, many of whom would oppose the motion.

see discussion here, for example;
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BAJRarchaeology/
http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=6046

BEWARE! OUR HERITAGE IS BEING COMMERCIALIZED AND REMOVED FROM PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY!!
The Heritage Trust
23 posts

Edited Oct 26, 2017, 18:11
Re: cIFA: Closed-Shop for UK Archaeology?
Oct 26, 2017, 16:48
CR wrote:
The vast majority, and all amateur archaeologists will be considered unworthy of undertaking any form of commercial work or conducting projects under their own name. At the same time a small number of 'uber'-consultants will accumulate credit for vast numbers of projects done 'in their authority'.


Thank you.

Amateur archaeologists provide valuable information, not to mention work time, as our latest feature on the Emblance Downs Twin Circles in Cornwall illustrates here.
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