5th December 2005, 06:23 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by 1man1desk
[One of the big problems that prevents their power from being exersised properly, in my experience (any curators want to comment?), is resources. They don't usually have enough staff/time to monitor properly, and some of the staff don't have sufficient field experience to do the monitoring properly anyway.
Secondly, should they have power over wages/conditions? I think that is out of their remit, to be honest. Their job is to advise the planning authority on what to make developers do, and monitor the work being done to make sure it happens and is done to standard. Wages and conditions of employment are way outside that remit.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
Would never presume to speak for my curatorial colleagues, but I think that staff/resources is a common complaint. Where I've personally drawn the line in regards to field and other monitoring is as follows:
1. all evaluations get visited at least once, unless it is negative from a unit and supervisor I know and trust
2. all excavations are visited at least once, and for larger and/or more complicated sites generally once a fortnight
3. never ever have been out to see a watching brief (NO time for that)
4. never have, and can't see a reason why, to monitor geotechnical works
5. have monitored post-excavation work on several occasions, particularly when I didn't like the way the field work was going
6. will also go out if asked and it is important - but tend to write polite 'no thanks' letters to the general public.
So I try to get to most things - but this is in sacrifice of the piles of post and consultations and other things. Would love to have to time to look at policy documents, for example, in detail, but simply don't. If I go to site, something else will be late or not done, especially if there is a lot of travel involved OR if pesky consultants try to plan meetings for midday so they can avoid driving at rush hour. That's life.
As for point 2, I certainly agree with 1 man here - our job is to make sure standards are upheld, which does not extend to wages/pay. Time on site, yes, post-excavation work, sure, programming, maybe. But not money.
ML