The hedgerows and boundaries grant is a standalone capital grant under Countryside Stewardship financial incentives scheme. Farmers and other land managers can apply for this grant to help provide environmental and landscape benefits on their land. The manual provides information about the hedgerows and boundaries …
New Guidance on gift aid and intermediary
HMRC has published new guidance on intermediaries creating Gift Aid declarations for donors. From 6 April 2017, donors can give intermediaries the authority to create Gift Aid declarations on their donations for the rest of the tax year.
Happy Museum scheme welcomes first affiliate
The Happy Museum (HM) has welcomed the first members of its Affiliate Scheme. The Scheme is a new peer learning network forming part of the wider HM programme, funded by Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience fund and supported by People United. The new Affiliates will …
Grant funding for projects in England which create jobs and growth in the rural economy
A number of handbooks have been published by DEFRA offering guidance on grant funding for projects in England which create jobs and growth in the rural economy. There are 3 types of grant: Business development Food processing Rural tourism infrastructure Of particular interest to the …
Balancing environmental issues with expanding rural tourism
The Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee held an evidence session for its Rural tourism in England inquiry to discuss the challenges in balancing environmental issues with expanding rural tourism. Paul Forecast, Director, Eastern England, National Trust [Alliance member] gave evidence in the first …
Latest museum visitor numbers
DCMS has released visitor figures for 15 sponsored museums for the period April 2015 – March 2016. In 2015/16 there were 47.6 million visits to DCMS-sponsored Museums. This was a decline of 6.2 per cent on 2014/15, but only a decline of 2.8 per cent when …
Allchurches trust announces £13 million grants for churches and charities
The Allchurches Trust has announced grants from its most recent funding round and invited more local churches and charities to ask for Allchurches’ support. Last year it gave grants totalling more than £13 million to charities and church groups all over the UK and Eire, …
Local Government Finance Bill factsheets
DCLG has published factsheets providing background information on the measures within the Local Government Finance Bill. Those which may be of interest to the sector include Factsheet 6: 100% business rates retention, Factsheet 12: property owner business improvement districts (BIDs), and Factsheet 13: rural rate relief.
House of Lords debate on memorials and statues
On 9 February at 1.00 pm in the Lords Grand Committee there will be a short debate on the protection of existing historical statues and memorials and establishment of new memorials that reflect broader UK history.
Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill – Report Stage and Third Reading
The final debating stages (Report and Third Reading) have been allocated a provisional business slot on Monday 20th February. Last year the Alliance attended a round table discussion on the type of cultural property which should be protected and we expressed concerns on, among other …
Neighbourhood Planning Bill – Committee Stage
The Neighbourhood Planning Bill has reached committee stage in the House of Lords. Among the amendments tabled was one by Baroness Andrews which would require a planning authority to compulsory purchase a listed building or a building in a conservation area where it had the power to …
Volunteering in heritage industries
An amendment to the National Citizen Service Bill has been tabled to address concerns over youth volunteering in heritage industries. As reported in Heritage Update 337 and Heritage Update 336, Lord Faulkner of Worcester stated that the Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act 1920 prevented …