■ planning authorities, not just their rate levies. Perhaps the Commission will be able to take the lead. BUILDINGS AT RISK: A NEWINITIATIVE BY ENGLISH HERITAGE Following the report of a working party, on which Mike Pearce sat for the ACO, to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, a post was created within English Heritage to deal with 'buildings at risk'. The old Historic Buildings Bureau was wound up, and Mr Harman at Savile Row was re-directed to his former role as Estate Land Surveyor for the Commission. Now John Fidler, ACO committee man and formerly with the City of London ( and before that the GLC Historic Buildings Division) has been appointed as the Commission's Conservation Officer for Buildings at risk. On an experimental fiveyear contratc, John's brief is to create low -energy strategies and methods to identify buildings at risk, and to implement initiatives to save them. His terms of reference are being interpreted as widely as possible, and he hopes to work very closely with local authorities and businesses and other government departments. High on his agenda are problem buildings in the countryside, redundant industrial stock, empty churches and chapels, and every nightmare list that ACOmembers dream about. Working closely with SAVE, building preservation trusts, local voluntary bodies and even developers and funding agencies, he hopes to tackle basic issues and encour-, age local activity. You will be hearing more from him in future issues of CONTEXT. Always available, John is in the Urban Conservation and Historic Buildings Division as a high-powered one-man department, in Room 207, 25 Savile Row, London WIX 2HE. (Tel: 01 734 6010 ext 271, or messages on 01 741 7297). John Fidler 7 HISTORIC BUILDINGSADVISORYCOMMITTEE As reported in our last issue, Mrs Jennifer Jenkins is retiring as a Commissioner of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, and therefore as Chairman of the Historic Buildings Advisory Committee, a key committee in the disbursement of Commission grants. The question of her successor to that post is clearly a matter of some interest and importance. After hearing of many possibilities, we now understand that the position is likely to be filled by HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, an architect, and Deputy Chairman of the Commission. The Movies 'BUILDINGS - WHOCARES?' This is the title of a film available from the Arts Council which their Film Librarian thinks may be of interest to ACOmembers. Shown on television earlier this year, .the film was based on an original idea by Donald Insall and "is concerned with the conservation and preservation of Britain's architectural heritage". The hire charge of £16 covers one day's hire on film (16mm) or video ( VHS or U-matic) exclusive of carriage and VAT. The film can also be purchased. Enquiries and bookings should be made to: Arts Council Film and Video Library, Concord Films Council, 201 Felixstowe Rd Ipswich IP3 9BJ Tel: (0473) 76012 or 751754 Alternatively, further information can be obtained from the Film Librarian, Will Bell, at the Arts Council, 105 Picadilly, London WlV OAU, tel: 01 629 9495.
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