Preview (1993)

The past three months have been a dramatic period for design. As reported elsewhere, the Design Renaissance congress was a great success and we are indebted to Cherrill Scheer FCSD for her efforts as Congress Director. The conference was a team effort. It created an effective interna­tional platform for designers and managers from all over the world. It built strong partner­ships with commercial sponsors. CSD members in Scotland played a full part in the event and in organising exhibi­tions and other related activities. Design Renaissance helps to set the agenda for the Nineties and highlight a number of important issues which we will take further in our programmes. It has also encouraged closer collaboration between the three international design organisa­tions. Shortly after the Glasgow congress, Baroness Denton moved to the Department of the Environment and Lord Strathclyde became the Consumer Affairs and Small Firms Minister at the Department of Trade. We look forward to working with him on policies to support and encourage the use of design in British industry. The CSD has welcomed Government's announcement of a major review of the Design Council. It is important that the many good things which the Design Council does should be sustained and developed. But the Council must be focused more clearly on its primary objective of convincing British industry of the benefits of using design. We have already submitted views to John Sorrell, Chairman-designate of the Council. It is in the interests of all our members that the Design Council should work as effec­tively as possible and we wish John Sorrell good fortune in his efforts to achieve this. Government to review Design Council role The design profession is consid­ering its response to the government's decision to undertake a wide ranging review of the function and activities of the Design Council. The review was announced in September by Industry Minister Tim Sainsbury, and will be overseen by new Design Council Chairman John Sorrell, a leading Fellow of the CSD and a former Chairman of the Design Business Association. A ccording to Sainsbury the intention is for the Council 'to act primarily as a body providing analysis and advice on all aspects of design policy'. The implication is that the Council will withdraw from the direct provision of services to industry and design consultan­cies and divest itself of many of its secondary functions, perhaps including its exhibition and publishing activities. The CSD has welcomed many of the principles underlying the review of the Design Council's activity. The Society has in recent years undertaken an active lobbying programme aimed at the DTI and the appropriate government ministers. In 'Design, the Government and Industry', a policy paper published in February 1992 the Society called for the Council to review its objectives, streamline its operations and formulate new strategies to give design a higher profile. Again in September of this year, following the international design congress in Glasgow, CSD President Jeremy Rewse- Davies demanded urgent government action to redefine the Council's role. The emphasis placed by Sainsbury on a 'high profile role in advising, influencing, lobbying' has been welcomed by Jeremy Rewse-Davies. The Society has also welcomed John Sorrell's appointment as Chairman, which he will take up in January 1994. Sorrell commented 'I welcome the minister's statement that the new emphasis on analysis and advice is intended to place the refashioned Council at the heart of policy making. The CSD Council considered a fuller response to the decision at its September meeting. The Society continues to have a number of major concerns. Sainsbury's announcement proposes the transferral of a number of existing services to the developing network of one­­stop advice centres or 'Business Links'. The CSD believes it essential that any such new arrangements must be adequately resourced by government. While the Business Links, should they prove effective, have a clear potential to help a greater number of businesses to integrate design into the mainstream of their activity. They are likely, however, to require an increase in present government funding. The Design Council's work in the education field is widely regarded as valuable. Rewse- Davies stresses 'it is important that this activity does not suffer during the transition'. Similarly, the Society remains concerned that the important regional links built up by the existing Council structure be maintained in whatever format. This is particularly true of the Design Council offices in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales where the proposed Business Links network is not being developed. At present little solid information about the future delivery of services in these countries is available. The Society, both at national level and through its estab­lished Regional Committees, continues to monitor develop­ments. The CSD's interest over the coming months will be to represent and lobby for the best interests of design profes­sionals throughout the United Kingdom. The key task of the Design Council - to improve the efficiency of UK business and industry through the best use of design - remains of paramount importance. In order to give CSD members an opportunity to input to the review process the Society has arranged an open forum event to be attended by John Sorrell and other key figures in the review process. The forum takes place at 29 Bedford Square on 24 November. ALL CHANGE FOR DESIGN John Sorrell FCSD, who takes up his appointment as Design Council Chairman in January Brian Lymbery

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