This project undertook a sector-wide study examining the challenges, opportunities, and future resilience of Local Authority Historic Environment Services in England. This project was part of the 21st Century Challenges for Archaeology Programme (21CAP), and built on the earlier Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (ALGAO) review of delivery models, also part of 21CAP. This project extended the analysis by incorporating the perspectives of service users and service providers supported by survey responses, focus groups and thematic analysis.
A key objective of the project was to use this analysis as a basis to explore the challenges and opportunities facing local authorities in the current political context that may require, or enable, developments in the current system.
Several key themes emerged from the project around consistency in service provision, challenges with communication, developments in planning, improvements to HERs, local authority structural change, service resilience, climate change resilience, museums, and public benefit and engagement.
A series of recommendations are proposed in the project report.