A University of Lancashire Project
Public Value in the Regional Visitor Economy
Assessing Lancashire's Cultural Heritage
Measuring Success
Measuring Success in Heritage Governance:
A Performance Assessment Framework
To demonstrate policy impact, success should be measured across five dimensions:
conservation, access, participation, wellbeing, and organisational performance.
The survey findings provide a useful baseline because they establish current levels of heritage value, access, engagement, and public attitudes.
1. Conservation and Stewardship Outcomes
2. Access and Inclusion Outcomes
3. Community Participation and Cultural Engagement
4. Wellbeing and Place-Based Outcomes
5. Education and Awareness Outcomes
What to measure
- Number of heritage assets restored annually
- Number of heritage assets classified as "at risk"
- Percentage of historic buildings in good condition
- Number of adaptive reuse projects completed
- Amount of investment secured for conservation projects
Targets
- 20–30% reduction in heritage assets at risk within five years
- Increase annual conservation investment year-on-year
- No net loss of priority heritage assets
Why it matters
Respondents repeatedly expressed concern about neglect, demolition, declining industrial heritage, and deteriorating historic buildings.
What to measure
- Annual visitor numbers
- Percentage of visitors arriving by public transport
- Participation rates among disabled users
- Participation rates among young people (16–25)
- Percentage of heritage sites meeting accessibility standards
- Visitor satisfaction with access
Targets
- Increase overall heritage participation by 15–20%
- Reduce reported access barriers by 50%
- Achieve accessibility compliance for all major publicly funded sites
Why it matters
The study found strong links between frequency of access, value placed on heritage, wellbeing, cultural importance, and quality of life.
What to measure
- Number of community heritage projects
- Volunteer hours contributed annually
- Attendance at festivals, heritage events, and open days
- Number of oral history, dialect, or storytelling projects
- School engagement rates
Targets
- Increase volunteer participation by 25%
- Double school engagement within five years
- Deliver at least one major community heritage project in each district annually
Why it matters
- Number of community heritage projects
- Volunteer hours contributed annually
- Attendance at festivals, heritage events, and open days
- Number of oral history, dialect, or storytelling projects
- School engagement rates
What to measure
Using annual resident surveys:
- Sense of belonging
- Local pride
- Perceived quality of life
- Heritage-related wellbeing scores
- Perceptions of place identity
Targets
- Annual improvement in resident satisfaction
- Increased proportion reporting heritage contributes positively to wellbeing
Why it matters
Over 80% of respondents linked heritage to wellbeing, leisure, identity, pride, and quality of life.
What to measure
- Number of school visits
- Number of educational programmes delivered
- Use of digital archives and online resources
- Social media engagement
- Public awareness of local heritage assets
Targets
- Every primary school in Lancashire participates in at least one heritage activity annually
- Significant growth in archive and digital collection usage
- Increased public awareness of key Lancashire heritage assets
Why it matters
A recurring theme of the study was limited awareness of available heritage opportunities and calls for more education and promotion.
A Cultural Heritage Dashboard
A Lancashire Heritage Partnership Board could publish an annual dashboard with ten headline indicators:
01
Heritage assets at risk
02
Conservation investment secured
03
Visitor numbers
04
Accessibility score
05
School engagement rate
06
Volunteer participation
07
Community heritage projects funded
08
Resident wellbeing score
09
Local pride score
10
Public satisfaction with heritage provision
Ultimate Test of Success
The strongest indicator would be whether future surveys show increases in:
- Frequency of heritage engagement
- Ease of access
- Local pride
- Cultural attachment
- Perceived wellbeing benefits
- Support for stewardship and protection
Because the original study found these factors to be closely associated; improvements across them would provide strong evidence that heritage governance and investment are delivering meaningful public value for Lancashire residents.