21st January 2005, 10:57 AM
Absolutly right Mole, what do you do when you get a rogue unit in your area? The way I deal with it is to monitor the hell out of them, in some cases on a daily basis, and try and encourage good practice. On the whole it works. But they will continue to get the jobs because it is cheaper to do archaeology badly than to do it properly. Another way to deal with it is to bear in mind that they are after all just another contractor on a site. If they breach planning conditions, the developer is responsible and I will ask that a stop order is put on the development.The problem with that is that planning law is designed to enforce remedial works, ie "put that wall up again with the right mortar mix and well say no more about it" I cant very well get the Romans back in to relay the mosaic. Is it all a bluff then? a bit of a poker game? Ok so report them to the IFA, what if the are not members? Its not legal to insist that they join before they work round here because archaeology is not licensed. Like I say the best I can do is monitor the hell out of them and prevent it reaching that stage.The thing is I shouldn't have to.