FAME and CIfA have issued a joint response to the draft of the National Infrastructure development and historic environment skills and capacity 2015 paper:
Author: Doug Rocks-Macqueen
-
FAME News 18 now available
The latest FAME news is now being sent out to members and is available to download from the members library under publications, using this link. It includes updates from the Chair Tim Maylim and outgoing treasurer Hester Cooper-Read, summaries of the FAME forum in June, the latest on CDM, and an overview of FAME consultations. Also included, following the recent sad news of his death, is an appreciation of the many achievements of Andrew Townsend, a great supporter FAME.
FAME news is a biannual publication with no. 19 due in Spring/Summer of 2016.
-
Fame Forum presentations now available
For all those who made it to this years FAME FORUM 2015 in York, and also for those who missed it, the powerpoint presentations are now available for viewing in the Members Library. The talks covered some critical topics for commercial archaeology including the pros and cons of shift working (using the experiences of MoLA in London and Rubicon Heritage in Dublin), issues around commercial procurement (the client perspective, sharing commercial information, payment terms, and arrangements for HS2), and news from CIfA regarding their future plans for Chartership, and the latest Heritage Market Survey from Landward Research.
We are already starting to think about 2016, and if you have any ideas for improving the content or format of the forum do get in touch.
Nick Shepherd, CEO FAME
-
Heritage Market Survey 2014
FAME are pleased to present the results of the Heritage Market Survey, 2014, commissioned with CIfA and Historic England, and undertaken by Landward Research. The survey focused on data collected from commercial organisations (including FAME members) for the end of the financial year 2013/2014 and provides an overview of the structure of the sector, employment numbers and conditions, commercial performance, and levels of confidence going forward. A new updated survey, covering 2014/2015 will be published soon.
The picture for the survey period was mixed. The worst of the recession was over, levels of work and employment were improving and confidence within the sector was at its highest level since the survey began in 2008. However, turnover was only slightly improved, and while there were opportunities to grow margins, healthy profitability for most employers was still hard to come by. There was, perhaps, an over-reliance on the housing and energy sectors, but this reflects the wider construction market. The majority of respondents predicted continued improvement and growth into 2015, and again, unsurprisingly, this reflected broader levels of confidence in the UK economy at the time. But the survey identified a number of challenges, notably the difficulty in recruiting sufficient fieldwork staff. Many are responding to this by raising wages and putting in place more structured training.
The value of the survey lies not so much in the historic data, but in how it can help our member organisations plan for a successful future and it will be very interesting to compare results with the 2015 survey when these are available. Over the coming weeks we will be drawing out some of the themes in the surveys to open up discussions around how FAME can support its members in this growing market.
The full report can be downloaded from HERE and is available in the members library.
Nick Shepherd
-
FAME announces new CEO
FAME announces today that it has appointed Nick Shepherd as its new CEO. Nick is a highly experienced archaeologist, trained at Birmingham University, and has previously worked with Oxford Archaeology and CGMS Consulting. Nick said: ‘I am delighted to join FAME as its new CEO, contributing to the further growth and development of the organisation and its key initiatives across the commercial archaeological sector. I look forward to working with the Board and meeting our members in the coming weeks to discuss their ideas for our future work and priorities.
-
FAME Forum 2015 – Programme
Colleagues
FAME Forum 2015
We are pleased to announce the final programme for the FAME Forum which takes place in York on Friday 26 June 2015 at the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall, Fossgate, York, YO1 9XD
9.30 Coffee
9.45 Welcome and Introduction
10.00 Building Relationships: Development Perspectives on Archaeological Procurement
Grant Lock, Senior Heritage Consultant, Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners
10.45 Knowledge Management: navigating the multi-lane, multi-directional information highway.
Mike Heaton, Historic Environment Consultant
11.00 Coffee
11.45 Chartership, Accreditation and Professional Development
Kate Geary, CIfA
12.30 Discussion
1.00 Buffet Lunch
14.00 HS2 and its Supply Chain Opportunities
Robert Slater, Supply Chain Analyst, HS2 Ltd.
14.45 Shifting sands: responding to time constraints on archaeological excavations.
Taryn Nixon, MOLA and Colm Moloney, Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd
15.00 The State of the Archaeological Market Survey 2013-2014.
Tim Malim, SLR Consulting Ltd
15.15 The Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter.
Benefitting from the National Specialist Contractors Council ‘Fair Payment Campaign
Taryn Nixon, MOLA
15.30 Discussion
15.45 Tea and close
Malcolm A Cooper
CEO, Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers
-
CDM 2015 Revisions and Archaeology
The revised Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM 2015) came into effect on the 6th April. The key changes have been well publicised, and the HSE has now provided FAME with clarity regarding their exemption for ‘pre-construction archaeological investigations’.
The exemption means that archaeological investigation is not ‘construction work’ within the defined meaning, and is therefore not subject to the CDM regulations when undertaken as a stand-alone element prior to the construction phase of a construction project. Therefore, pre-construction archaeological investigations are not construction activities and do not initiate the construction phase of a project
However, archaeological investigations or activities that are undertaken during the construction phase of a project will be governed by the requirements of CDM – but archaeologists and their activities will be considered to be specialist contractors and will therefore comply with the directions of the PC and PD and take responsibility for the planning, management and monitoring of their own work – as any other contractor working in the construction phase of the project.
The exemption has been included to ensure that archaeologists are not inadvertently burdened with the role of Principal Contractor for a project, just because they are often the first ‘contractor’ on a future site. The role of Principal Contractor can only be assumed by a person or organization that has the skills, knowledge and experience required to fulfil the Principal Contractor duties across the whole project, from concept design, through build and ultimate handover of the new structure.
The HSE have advised that the exemption is not to be seen as a diminution of the requirement for archaeologists to plan, manage, monitor and undertake their work safely. Even where the CDM exemption applies to archeology – all requirements of general workplace health and safety requirements including the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and subsequent legislation i.e. the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, fully apply as they always have.
Russell Adfield, HM Principal Inspector, Head of CDM Unit – Construction Sector, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Construction Division – South East, The Council Offices, Station Road East, Oxted
Surrey RH8 0BT
russell.adfield@hse.gsi.gov.uk
Issued by Dan Poore on behalf of FAME
-
FAME Reorganisation – New Chief Executive search
FAME, the voice of commercial archaeology managers and employers, is reorganising. As part of this process we are seeking to appoint a new Chief Executive to represent FAME with major stakeholders and to take lead responsibility for FAME’s advocacy work, with effect from July 2015 when our present CEO, Malcolm Cooper, is due to step down. This is a role for an independent, senior figure with a detailed understanding of the UK historic environment sector looking to play an influential part in driving significant improvements in policy and operations affecting commercial archaeology in the UK.
The role requires excellent communication and leadership skills, diplomacy and the ability to represent FAME’s diverse membership right across the UK without actual or perceived conflict. The proposed engagement is based on a flexible approach, attending events and meetings as required. On average, the role is likely to require attendance at two or three meetings each month around the UK, and attendance at quarterly meetings of the FAME Management Board and annual networking Forum. This is a revised role following the recent growth of FAME and reflects a new approach and new governance, with administrative and Membership Services support drafted in. The engagement is proposed on a fee basis for a three year period with the possibility of extension.
For a role specification and a confidential discussion on what is involved in this new, key role in the UK heritage sector, please contact either the FAME Chair, Tim Malim, at tmalim@slrconsulting.com or the Vice-Chair, Taryn Nixon at tnixon@mola.org.uk
-
FAME 2015 AGM and Annual Day School: Managing the Interface: Commercial Archaeology and the Development Industry
The FAME AGM will take place at the Barley Hall, 2 Coffee Yard, York, YO1 8AR at 5.00-6.00pm on June 25, 2015. This will be followed by a reception at Barley Hall (with food and drink available) which is timetabled to finish at 7.30pm.
The FAME Annual Day-School on the theme of Managing the Interface: Commercial Archaeology and the Development Industry will take place the following day (June 26th) at the Merchants Adventurers’ Hall, Fossgate, York, YO1 9XD. The timetable commences with coffee at 9.30am and closes at 3.45pm. To get a copy of our booking form, please use the link at the end of this post.
Speakers at our Day-School include Grant Lock, Senior Heritage Consultant at Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners on Building Relationships, Mike Heaton on Knowledge Management and Kate Geary from CIfA on Professional Development. There will also be talks from the Chartered Engineering Contractors Association on supply-chain management and a broader discussion of the use of shift working methodologies for archaeologists led by our Deputy Chair, Taryn Nixon and Board Member, Colm Moloney.
The AGM and Day School are once again sponsored by the York Archaeological Trust and we would like to acknowledge the Trust for their continuing support of FAME and our events.
Malcolm A Cooper
CEO, Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers
-
English Heritage – Heritage Information Access Strategy, Business Process Mapping
English Heritage (now Historic England) have released a report on Business Process Mapping of Historic Environment Information as part of their wider study towards a heritage information access strategy. This report can be found in our library under England/English Heritage/HIAS 7066.
Malcolm Cooper
CEO, Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers