What’s going wrong with desk-based assessments?

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Price: £50 CIfA Members
£75 Non-members

Limited bursary/low income spaces are available
Please contact Elizabeth (elizabeth.durst@archaeologists.net) for more information.

Description

Despite being enshrined in planning guidance, there still seems to be confusion as to what a desk-based assessment is and its purpose. Discussions with ALGAO last year highlighted issues including submission of DBAs when they are not required and the frequent appearance of documents that do little more than reiterate information already available in the HER, with no meaningful assessment of significance, potential or impact. This led to the organisation of a workshop on DBAs at the CIfA AGM in October 2018. It was decided to repeat this workshop across the UK to ensure a wide range of feedback especially from those operating under different planning policies, therefore, workshops are now taking place this year in Cardiff, Manchester and Edinburgh - see below! CIfA is currently undertaking a thorough review of its Standards and guidance, which includes consideration of where and why things might be going wrong. Please come along if you're able and take part in the discussions. A survey will be circulated ahead of the workshops to try and get as much feedback as possible ahead of the events.

Workshop Audience

The workshop is aimed at archaeologists and historic environment practitioners who commission, write or approve DBAs. The course is not designed to teach delegates with little or no previous experience how to write a DBA.

Featured presenters:
Kate Geary, Standards Development Manager (CIfA) 
Jen Parker Wooding, Senior Professional Standards & Practice Coordinator (CIfA) 
Judith Doyle, Planning Offficer (Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust)
James Meek, Head of Field Services (Dyfed Archaeological Trust Ltd)

Agenda
The workshops include a mix of presentations and collaborative discussion. Presentations will be heard from CIfA, local curators, contractors and consultants to encompass a wide range of viewpoints regarding the role and perception of DBAs across the sector. This will be followed by discussion and group work focusing on the current Standards and Guidance.

10:00 – 10:15 Arrival, tea and coffee
10:15 – 10:45 Introduction and initial discussion
Kate Geary and Jen Parker Wooding, CIfA
10:45 – 11:00 Desk-based assessments from the curator’s point of view (Wales)
Judith Doyle, Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust
11.00 – 11.15 Desk-based assessments from the curator’s point of view (England)
Paul Driscoll, South Gloucestershire Council
11.15 – 11.30 Desk-based assessments from the consultant’s point of view
Philip Bethell, RPS Consulting
11.30 – 11.45 Desk-based assessments from the contractor’s s point of view
James Meek, Dyfed Archaeological Trust Ltd
11.45 – 12.30 Discussion: the role of DBAs
12:30 – 13.15 Lunch
13.15 – 14:00 Collaborative discussion: what are the barriers to achieving the Standard?
14.00 – 14.45 Collaborative discussion: what are the solutions?
14.45 – 15.00 Tea break
15.00 – 15.45 Standards and Guidance breakdown – are changes needed?
15.45 – 16.00 Close

Learning outcomes

After attending the course, delegates will be able to

1. define and understand the purpose of a DBA and its role within the planning process
2. understand what curators look for in a DBA
3. gain a better understanding of what the CIfA Standard and guidance for desk-based research requires and why
4. understand how compliance with the S&G may be monitored
5. gain a better appreciation of the issues that may make compliance with the S&G problematic and how to address them
6. better consider and present the significance, potential and/or impact of the heritage being assessed
7. better appreciate how a DBA should enhance the existing Historic Environment Record
8. contribute to the review and improvement of the CIfA S&G to ensure it’s fit for purpose

Additional info

Lunch will be included.

For further information, including NOS learning outcomes, visit https://www.archaeologists.net/cifa-agm-workshop#