Marcus Binney, the eminent and passionate president of the pressure group SAVE, has, uncharacteristically, failed to grasp the facts behind the recently announced proposal to put the National Heritage Collection into a publicly owned charity (Speaking Out July 5).
Thanks to an investment of £80 million announced by culture secretary Maria Miller last week, the substantive backlog of repairs can at last be redressed so that the properties can become self-sustaining.
Less reliant on the vagaries of public finances, this is a more secure arrangement for the properties and a better deal for the taxpayer. A licence will ensure the new charity maintains the highest of standards and there will be only two bodies — not three as he suggests.
Marcus makes a plea for funding for amenity societies. As a member of a national heritage organisation, I would expect him to. In fact, we already fund them and will continue to do so.
Simon Thurley
Chief executive
English Heritage
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