| Author |
Message |
Shane
Administrator
Age: 43
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
Location: Folkestone, Kent.
|
|
News Bulletin No.45
NCMD Membership
For membership joining applications, information and fees please contact: -
John Rigby, Membership Secretary.
Tel 01253 294643
E mail: jjrigby@sky.com
Enquiries
For all other enquiries please contact: -
Trevor Austin, General Secretary,
51 Hilltop Gardens, Denaby, Doncaster. DN12 4SA.
Tel 01709 868521
E mail: trevor.austin@ncmd.co.uk
NCMD Website: www.ncmd.co.uk
NCMD Forum: http://ncmd-forum.com/
NCMD Policy Statement on the recording of finds data with third
parties.
The following policy statement has been appended to the NCMD Constitution: -
The NCMD recognises that landowners hold a greater legal title to all non-Treasure items found by metal detection or other means on their land. In doing so, NCMD members need to recognise that they have a duty of care to ensure that they uphold this at all times. This duty also includes an intent to ensure that before recording any finds with third parties they have full permission from the landowner/tenant/occupier to do so and then only to an accuracy and detail to which all relevant parties feel comfortable. Issues surrounding the potential publication of find spots data, such as on the Internet and elsewhere as well as the possible use of such data by recipients should be considered in discussions with landowners. Where necessary, recording organisations should be informed of any required restrictions on publication at the time of recording and should make provision for this information on recording forms and/or receipts.
NCMD November 2007
Nighthawk Project
Oxford Archaeology gave a presentation to the NCMD Management Team on the 17th November. The following resolution was adopted after a unanimous vote by the Executive Committee at the NCMD Ordinary General Meeting on 18th November 2007: -
That the NCMD maintains its current status as an observer and offers support and advice to Oxford Archaeology where it is felt appropriate to do so. This resolution is to be reviewed at the next OGM on the 17th February 2008.
Participation in the data gathering exercise currently being undertaken by Oxford Archaeology with the use of online questionnaires, Finds Liaison Officer presentations at clubs and follow up interviews, is a voluntary exercise. However the NCMD seeks to remind its members that any information given must be factual and not based on anecdotal and hearsay information. As a matter of courtesy any information given to this survey concerning actual locations which include private/institutional/public property should have the permission of the relevant landowner/tenant/occupier to do so.
NCMD Constitution
The NCMD Constitution has been updated to include the following amendments and additions: -
Amendment to the "NCMD Code of Conduct" which brings it in line with the ‘Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting in England & Wales’.
NCMD Policy Statement on the recording of finds data with third parties.
Copies of the amended NCMD Constitution are being circulated to all Regional Representatives by the General Secretary.
Appraisal of the Portable Antiquities Scheme: 2007
The questionnaire return date was the end of October 2006. Submissions have been received from, regions, clubs and many from individual members.
Data from the completed questionnaires is now being examined and collated by an outside organisation to ensure that responses are statistically sound and that there is an unbiased presentation of the results.
As a part of the NCMD remit we have a responsibility to our membership to ensure that the levels and quality of service the PAS provides to our members continues to be comprehensive, fair and accurate.
A final report will be prepared and distributed in early 2008.
PAS Statements on Finds Databases and Metal Detecting Rallies
The final wording of these was discussed at the November OGM. It was agreed to reject the Metal Detecting Rallies statement though its current status remains uncertain following the issue of a draft Code of Practice for Metal Detecting Rallies in England and Wales by the PAS at the December meeting of the Portable Antiquities Advisory Group (PAAG). This document is to be discussed at the NCMD OGM in February 08.
Environmental Stewardship Schemes, ELS/HLS
No further information has been forthcoming from Natural England with respect to the issue of an updated Handbook for these schemes or the proposed Guidance Note for Metal Detection Access. The NCMD has submitted detailed comment to aid the preparation of this Note.
Voluntary Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales
From members observations and comments it appears that there is some confusion as to the use and interpretation of the words “recording” and “reporting” in clauses 7 and 9 of the Code. Some recording professionals seem to be considering the two words as synonymous which is not correct. To clarify, for both members and recording staff with the PAS and elsewhere, the NCMD considers the following to be its understanding of the words in their context when drawing up and endorsing the voluntary Code:-
Clause 7: “Recording find spots as accurately as possible for all finds”. This is to cover the act of individual or group recording for personal and club records whilst detecting at an accuracy seen as being of good practice by the NCMD. It is also governed by a requirement not to pass on these records to third parties without the agreement of the landowner/occupier.
Clause 9: “ Reporting any finds to the relevant landowner/occupier (with the agreement of the landowner/occupier) to the Portable Antiquities Scheme “ covers the act of reporting to a third party including the PAS after you have been detecting.
The Future for the Portable Antiquities Scheme
The funding for the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) comes from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) whose budget is being cut by 25% over the next three years. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), who have always praised the achievements of the PAS and are always happy to take the credit for its successes, failed to ring fence the funding for PAS.
At a meeting of the Scheme's Advisory Group on Wednesday 5th December 2007 the Chief Executive of MLA, Roy Clare, announced that PAS funding for next year would be frozen at this year's level (£1.3 million), even though at the press conference for the launch of the PAS Annual Report, a week earlier, he and the Minister announced that the funding for PAS's current levels of activity would be preserved next year. This is a big difference, as PAS needs £1.49 million to keep going at the same level of activity next year.
Freezing the PAS budget will mean losing 5 posts out of 50.
MLA has stated that it intends to review PAS funding for the period 2009/11 and has suggested that they may integrate the PAS into the programme called ‘Renaissance in the Regions’ which is funding 42 hub museums. If that happens the work of the Finds Liaison Officers (FLO’s) will be diluted and the national side of PAS will be weakened. What that could produce is 9 different regional PAS’s, all with their own agendas and priorities.
Roy Clare has stated that the Central Unit of the PAS is inefficient in its present form. We believe that central co-ordination is essential for the scheme to progress further.
Now is the time for DCMS, from which all the money comes, to get involved and if necessary take PAS away from MLA and place it in an organisation that is really committed to the work of PAS - for example, the British Museum.
Do you as a responsible detectorist want to return to where we were more than 10 years ago?
NCMD members and all detectorists are encouraged to write to their local MP (you can find out who that is on http://www.theyworkforyou.com) and urge the DCMS to ensure that PAS continues to be fully funded within an organisation that can give it a secure, stable and sustainable future."
If you wish to write to Roy Clare send an email to roy.clare@mla.gov.uk
|
|
|
|
_________________
Goldmaxx Power
Record your finds with UKDFD and PAS
|
|
   |
      |
|
|
|
|
View next topic
View previous topic
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum
|
|
Calendar
