2012 Yearbook

14 Y E A R B O O K 2 0 1 2 responses this year is impressive in terms of the number, breadth and rigour of the responses. The panel and the consultations consultant James Caird have again worked very hard and e!ciently. The sweep of consultations is wide: permitted development rights in Wales, historic battlefields in Scotland, local listing in England and enabling development in Northern Ireland, European VAT, as well as the broader proposed changes such as the Penfold Review in England and the NPPF. One of the primary concerns set out in our response to the NPPF consultation was that there was a lack of recognition on the part of the government that the historic environment is everywhere so this was brought out in the consultation response that the institute submitted. This point alone illustrates the maturity of our PSHBOJTBUJPO BOE JT BO FYQMBOBUJPO of the breadth and coverage of our work and consultation responses. The less glamorous but still highly valued work of the institute keeps trundling on of course, like the engine room in a beautiful ocean liner, not particularly obvious, but entirely essential. The committees meet regularly and rely entirely on the dedication and goodwill of the volunteers who sit on them. Each plays a vital role in the institute: Education, Policy, Communications & Outreach, Membership & Ethics and Finance & Resources, and they steer the good ship IHBC through choppy waters. This year we have embarked on a review of governance and we are scrutinising the way in which we organise ourselves and whether this can be improved. This is not because we think there is anything inherently wrong, it is a healthy and necessary process, a little like an organisational MOT. I do realise that it’s not the most gripping of subjects, but we do need all of our members to consider this issue, even just for a moment. Do contact us if you think there are any ways in which we could improve our performance. Of course there are less bureaucratic parts of the IHBC year than the governance review which are still a vital part of our work and the annual school is the high point of the IHBC calendar. This year the sun shone on us as we breathed deeply of the North Wales air in Llandudno. The Welsh branch provided a wonderful few days that was only slightly marred by my e"orts to mangle the beautiful Welsh MBOHVBHF BOE * IBWF UP SFNJOE ZPV that although my name is Evans I have not a drop of Welsh blood, I am TPSSZ UP TBZ "O VOFYQFDUFE PVUDPNF of my language lessons was that it gave me an opportunity to cement a friendship with the new president. There is nothing to bring two people together like the awe of the student at the skill of the tutor and the sheer horror for the tutor having to watch his student perform in public! This was the year of course in which we lost one president and gained another. I would like to thank Eddie Booth for his support and wise counsel during our two years together and I look forward to working with Trefor, who has already proved to me personally that he is immensely capable, patient and blessed with BO FYDFMMFOU TFOTF PG IVNPVS Naturally, none of our achievements would be as successful or e"ective without the unstinting work of the national o!ce – a huge thank you to them. And good luck to all our members for the forthcoming year. Jo Evans, chair@ihbc.org.uk The promenade at Llandudno including the venue for the 2011 IHBC Annual School, St George’s Hotel (with tower)