Catalogue description Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England: Commission: Agendas, Minutes and Papers

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Details of FM 13
Reference: FM 13
Title: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England: Commission: Agendas, Minutes and Papers
Description:

The records consist of the agendas, minutes and papers for meetings of the Commission, the governing board of Historic England (previously known as English Heritage) between 1983 and the end of 2000. The subjects discussed in meetings typically relate to the key responsibilities of the Commission: these include determining the organisation's strategic objectives and targets; considering major decisions involving the use of financial and other resources; major decisions concerning personnel; major organisational issues and major casework decisions (such as those involving conflicts of policy, political sensitivity or application of major resources to one particular case). As well as agendas, minutes and papers for regular Commission meetings, this series also contains records of special meetings and meetings of the Commission's Emergencies Committee.
Date: 1983-2000
Arrangement:

The records are arranged in chronological order.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: COM 1
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, 1983-2022
Physical description: 184 file(s)
Access conditions: Open unless otherwise stated
Accruals: Series is accruing
Administrative / biographical background:

The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (commonly known as English Heritage until 2015 and subsequently as Historic England) was created by the National Heritage Act 1983 and began operations in 1984, taking on heritage functions previously exercised by the Ancient Monuments Board for England, the Historic Buildings Council for England and the Department of the Environment. The Act gave the new body responsibility for securing the preservation of ancient monuments and historic buildings; promoting the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas; and for promoting the public's enjoyment of, and advancing their knowledge of, ancient monuments and historic buildings and their preservation.

The Commission was originally responsible to the Secretary of State for the Environment, then to the Secretary of State for National Heritage between 1992 and 1997, to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from 1997 to 2017, and, since 2017, to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Following a merger in 1999, it took on the functions of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, including responsibility for the National Monuments Record (now part of the Historic England Archive).

In April 2015, responsibility for the protection of the National Heritage Collection was transferred to the voluntary sector under the newly-created English Heritage Trust while the Commission (rebranded as Historic England) retained its role as the government's statutory advisor and consultee on the historic environment.

The Commission comprises between eight and seventeen members appointed by the Secretary of the State for Digital Culture, Media and Sport. It meets regularly and has responsibility for setting the overall strategic direction for Historic England and ensuring that it complies with any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds. Responsibility for implementing the decisions taken by Commission and the day to day management of Historic England rests with the Chief Executive and, in turn, the senior management and staff of the organisation.

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