CONTINUING
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

No doubt many of you will have downloaded and tested the proposed CPD forms off the IHBC website (go to Education). As branch CPD and Training Officer, I have tried them out and can confirm that they seem to work well. Some minor improvements are to be made and, after presenting these to the Education Committee, Guidance Notes to help members get the most out of the system will be prepared.

The plan is for the whole CPD package to go to Council in time for a  launch in July at the Annual School in York.

Mike Brown

Its that time of year again when those of us working in the Boroughs will have our fingers crossed for a generous PDG from the ODPM. The question will be how much of it will be spent on Conservation Officers? Up to now the money has tended to go towards Development Control and Policy planners because of the link with Best Value targets, leaving conservation the poor cousins of planning. But things might be changing!

Rumour has it that the ODPM is rushing through Best Value targets for conservation-
1/ Quinquennial inspections of council owned heritage assets.
2/ Character appraisals of conservation areas.
3/ Creation of Historic Environment Records (already in place within London at EH).

The question will be, how can already overstretched Conservation Officers hit these new targets and thus get PDG money for extra staff? Given the lack of skilled conservation people in London where are these extra staff to be found? Answers on a postcard to J Prescott MP, ODPM, London.

Mike Brown