For years many preservation societies, both national and local, have concentrated their energies on the crucial task of scrutinising listed building and planning applications and on giving strategic advice and guidance on repair methods and materials. As matter of priority, all preservation societies should consider establishing a building preservation trust which can physically tackle decaying buildings in its locality or sphere of interest. The Architectural Heritage Fund, set up to finance repairs to historic buildings through BPTs, cannot find sufficient takers and half its funds, £6M, is on deposit at the bank.

Every neglected historic building has its own particular problems - difficult or absentee owners, problems of access, services. Often the log jamb can only be unblocked by a repairs notice, possibly followed by a compulsory purchase order. We have recommended above that English Heritage take a more proactive role towards buildings at risk. The Architectural Heritage Fund should be empowered to make wider use of its funds in support of this. Where there is a building preservation trust waiting in the wings it could support local authorities by underwriting the costs of enforcement action and compulsory purchase and providing an expert consultancy to help draw up notices. A considerable proportion of this money could be reclaimed once the building has been sold.