Annual Operating Plan 2018-19

Welcome to the digital summary of our Annual Operating Plan for 2018-19.

Scroll to find out more about our plans for the coming year.

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Scotland’s historic environment is

Scotland's historic environment is

Our castles, standing stones and landscapes

Historic Environment Scotland Keystone outline
Scotland's historic environment is

Our factories, mills and shipyards

Scotland's historic environment is

Our homes, streets and stories

Our Plans for 2018-19

This is the third Annual Operating Plan for Historic Environment Scotland.

It describes what we aim to achieve in the third year of our Corporate Plan and explains how we will invest our budget.

The differences we aim to make in 2018-19 are divided into the following themes of our Corporate Plan:

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Lead

By supporting, empowering and collaborating with others, we will:

champion the value of Scotland’s historic environment at home and abroad

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build a lasting legacy from the
2018 Year of Young People

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protect and grow resources, skills and expertise in the historic environment sector and beyond

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address the impact of climate change

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help communities understand their rights, offer guidance and support their priorities

In 2017, the historic environment contributed £2.3 billion to the Scottish economy by attracting tourism and through activity in the construction sector.

Throughout the Year of Young People 2018, Young Scot card-holders can gain entry to our sites for £1.

With our partners Young Scot, the National Trust for Scotland and the Historic Houses Association, we can offer this historically low discount to young people who want to explore Scotland’s iconic historic sites.

We provide grants and training to build capacity in the historic environment sector.

Our grants of £14 million a year help to stimulate regeneration, promote sustainable development and reinforce a sense of place.

We provide grants and training to build capacity in the historic environment sector.

Our grants of £14 million a year help to stimulate regeneration, promote sustainable development and reinforce a sense of place.

We provide grants and training to build capacity in the historic environment sector.

Our grants of £14 million a year help to stimulate regeneration, promote sustainable development and reinforce a sense of place.

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We reduced our energy consumption by 6% in 2017 in our highest energy using sites, saving 145 tonnes of carbon.

We continue to be recognised by the World Wide Fund for Nature for our innovative work to tackle climate change.

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Our nationwide Scotland's Urban Past project provides free guidance and support to all kinds of communities, including Down's Syndrome Scotland, Glasgow Govanhill Baths and Oban Communities Trust.

Through the five-year project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have provided training to over 5,000 people on different ways to record and celebrate their urban history.

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Understand

We want Scotland’s historic environment to be better known and understood. To make this happen, we will:

record places and how they change over time

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improve access to the data we create, collect and hold

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undertake a research programme to better inform how we care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment

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invest in digitisation, providing access to more of our archives and collections than ever before

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We hold records on over 320,000 buildings, archaeological, industrial and maritime sites across Scotland and beyond.

We’re adding more images, information and research to these records in the HES Archives every day.

A modern day photograph of a large red bridge
A historic black and white photograph of a large red bridge

We are investing in digitising the HES Archives.

Between 2017-18, we increased the number of collection items digitally accessible online by 50,000.

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We have supported over 40 PhDs since 2016.

And will be supporting 20 more in 2018-19.

We hold over five million photographs, drawings, documents and more in the HES Archives.

Visitors can explore our archives in person at John Sinclair House in Edinburgh or online through Canmore.

Protect

Scotland’s historic environment is irreplaceable. To care for and protect our unique places, stories and traditions, we will:

continue to maintain the heritage assets in our care and their associated collections

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work with the Scottish Government and other partners to deliver a reformed planning system

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develop new policies that will help us protect and celebrate historic sites now and in the future

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deliver training programmes in traditional skills through our dedicated conservation centre, the Engine Shed

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We look after over 300 buildings and monuments in Scotland.

Every year, we publish an annual report on the upkeep and management of our Properties in Care.

Since the Engine Shed opened to the public in July 2017, over 12,000 people have walked through the doors.

Our conservation hub in Stirling is a place for all to learn about Scotland's built heritage and how to look after it.

In 2017, we compiled and published 55,000 designation records providing advice about Scotland’s listed buildings and scheduled monuments
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What's Your Heritage?

Almost 2,000 people responded to our consultation which is now being used to inform Scotland's historic environment policy.

Value

To help more people celebrate and enjoy the historic environment and improve our national wellbeing, we will:

welcome more than five million visitors to the properties in our care from Scotland and beyond

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grow opportunities for volunteering

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strengthen our sense of place and contribute to our improved health and wellbeing

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provide learning opportunities for local, national and international audiences

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promote Scotland’s cultures, stories and traditions

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22%

Edinburgh Castle saw over 2 million visitors in 2017 – an increase of 22% year-on-year from 2016.

x 8,000

Volunteers donated over 8,000 hours of their time to the historic environment throughout 2016-17.

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50%

In 2013, a Scottish Government study found that those who visited a historic or archaeological place were over 50% more likely to report a high life satisfaction than those who didn't.

x 100,000

In 2017, more than 100,000 learners participated in activities supported by HES access schemes, apprenticeships, community projects and inclusive learning programmes.

Perform

We are a high-performing organisation. To deliver our vision, we must build on the strengths that are our foundations. During 2018-19, we will:

develop our digital services to provide enhanced experiences for our users

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put our staff at the core of our business through our People Strategy

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improve the quality of the services we are delivering in every area of our business

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ensure that the historic environment makes a full contribution to the reduction of inequality in our society

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In 2017-18, we saw over five million visitors to our websites.

Digital technologies form a core part of the services that we offer.

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We employ over 1,180 full time equivalent staff and hold accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.

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92% of our staffed sites achieved a Visit Scotland rating of 4 stars or above.

English

Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland’s heritage, national identity and current cultural life. The language offers huge potential as an asset for adding economic and social value.

By March 2019 we will be half way through the delivery of the first year of our Gaelic Plan.

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Gàidhlig

Tha a’ Ghàidhlig na pàirt bunaiteach de bheatha culturail, ìomhaigh nàiseanta, agus dualchas na h-Alba. Tha luach mhòr sòisealta agus eaconomaigeach aig a’ chànan.

Ann am Màirt 2019, bidh sinn lethach-slighe tro lìbhrigeadh a chiad bhliadhna de ar Plana Gàidhlig.

Eadar-theangachadh

Between 2014-17, we provided £136,000 of funding to the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council.

The council aims to reduce barriers and increase the knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of the historic environment by minority ethnic communities in Scotland.

Our Resources

Historic Environment Scotland

Thank you for browsing our Annual Operating Plan. For more information, you can download a PDF copy.

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Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.

© Historic Environment Scotland - Scottish Charity No. SC045925