Job cuts at Stafford and Birmingham

Ironically, just when APPAG is recommending greater regionalisation of units and more outreach work, a local unit with an excellent record of involving the community is being shut down. Stafford Borough Council has announced that its archaeology service will be axed at the end of this month. The closure, which may save as little as £25,000, is part of £1.2 million cuts across the council.

Local heritage groups http://www.sbhg.org.uk/heritage.htm have expressed disgust over the closure that will result in the loss of two posts and may put an important publication on Stafford Castle in jeopardy. The unit's responsibilities will be transferred to Staffordshire County Council.

Meanwhile, we're getting reports that cuts at the Birmingham University Field
Archaeology Unit (BUFAU) http://www.arch-ant.bham.ac.uk/bufau/ may result in
the loss of '25 per cent of the field unit's staff,' undermining the unit's post-ex capability. The university promotes the unit as 'one of Britain's foremost centres for applied field archaeology and research.' 'Not for much longer' a source within the university tells us, describing the decision to launch the new Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity just as staff are working out their notice as 'crass.'

The Director of the Institute, Dr Vince Gaffney, confirmed that a review was being conducted as part of 'restructuring within the University' and that this was being done 'with full consultation of Field Unit staff, the University personnel department and union representatives.'