News | Posted August 6, 2024
Society Advocacy Update – Summer 2024
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has been involved in advocacy since its formation in the 18th century, and has made its views known on a range of issues pertinent to the Society’s aims.
The Society promotes the research, understanding and conservation of the historic environment of Scotland – for the benefit of all – and advocates good practice. We respond to Government and other relevant consultations, produce position statements and chair seminars and meetings to discuss pertinent issues.
You can find out more on the advocacy page of our website. Below are some recent issues we’ve responded to:
Treasure Trove Review
In May 2024, a landmark review was launched to evaluate the system of Scottish Treasure Trove.
Finds in Scotland are handled by the Treasure Trove Unit (TTU), which is responsible for the daily running of the Treasure Trove system and is the first port of call for new discoveries and finders. It carries out investigations and object assessments, and, where appropriate, examines findspots. But the growing number of finds being reported has left the heritage sector in Scotland facing new challenges and pressures in a post-pandemic world.
You can see our response here.
Managing Change Guidance Document on Underwater Heritage
This guidance (produced by Historic Environment Scotland) is about conserving underwater heritage around the coasts of Scotland and in freshwater environments such as lochs and rivers.
Underwater heritage is the physical evidence of the human past which survives under water. It enriches Scotland’s landscape, charts an important part of our history, and makes a positive contribution to wellbeing and the economy.
This guidance is primarily for practitioners and decision-makers who encounter underwater heritage in the course of their duties. This includes individuals or organisations involved in heritage management, terrestrial and marine planning, water-body management, and archaeological and environmental consulting or development.
You can see our response here.
Open Consultation on Scottish Battlefields
In May we added our views on proposed revisions to Annex 4 of the Designation Policy and Selection Guidance, specifically relating to the inventory of historic battlefields.
Historic Environment Scotland recently proposed revisions to the Designation Policy and Selection Guidance to provide more clarity regarding certain areas of Historic Environment Scotland’s decisions on inventory battlefields, and the information contained within the records themselves.
You can see our response to the proposed revisions here.
Letter to Perth & Kinross Council
In July we wrote in collaboration with the National Trust for Scotland, the Built Environment Forum for Scotland and Archaeology Scotland about our concern regarding the recent decision by Perth & Kinross Council to reduce funding for the region’s Planning and Archaeology Service, coordinated by Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust (PKHT), by 70% from April 2025.
You can read our letter in full here and you can read the response from Perth and Kinross Council here.
Review of Charity Regulation
The Scottish Government ran a consultation in 2019 about proposals the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) had made on improvements to the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. In response to that consultation, it was noted that some respondents wanted a wider review of charity regulation.
In July, the Society responded to a consultation which aimed to understand if people still feel that way and if so, what they think should be the purpose and parameters for a review.
You can see our response here.