Managing Local Authority Heritage Assets

Some guiding principles for decision-makers

Endorsed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, this guidance is intended for the key decision makers responsible for the funding and care of council-owned heritage assets - local authority portfolio holders, corporate property officers, conservation specialists, facilities managers and corporate estate architects and building surveyors. The aim of the guidance is to promote and encourage appropriate standards in the management of these assets and high quality design in new work related to them. 

The extent and richness of local authority-owned heritage assets – scheduled ancient monuments, historic buildings, conservation areas, historic landscapes (including parks, gardens and cemeteries) and historic elements of the wider public realm - is a tangible reminder of the long tradition of English local government in serving the needs of local communities. These public assets make a vital contribution to local identity and distinctiveness. And their use for cultural, educational, leisure and operational purposes helps to enhance the quality of our lives. We all have a responsibility to ensure that the civic heritage is passed on to future generations in good order. How it is managed and cared for today is therefore vitally important.

The emphasis of the guidance is on the value and effectiveness of positive management. It underlines the need for local authorities to take a strategic, long-term view of the role and value of their heritage assets, especially when decisions are made about change or disposal. It also emphasises the crucial importance of regular preventative maintenance. Continuing, consistent care sustains both cultural and market value, and illustrates that efficient management is also good conservation practice.

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