The future of F.L.O's in Wales - Welsh Assembly's reply

[handyman [Alan}]

there is sometimes a delay in the handing out the finds sheets and the uploading of the information. The longest i've had to wait is 2 weeks, though our FLO now makes sure that she uploads our finds onto the database, in the same week that she attends our club meeting to return the finds and findsheets.

[Jeffc]

Pete,I would agree with that - there are lots of my finds that have been recorded by Mark (and returned with reports ) that cannot be found on the database. In fact there are even finds that I could access on the old database which I cannot find on the new "improved" one. However things may be improving slowly (!!) - Mark has set me up as a registered user and when I check on my finds it is now showing 9 items up from 7 a couple of months ago. Unfortunately the extra 2 items are ones recorded last year !! This is just a fraction of the items recorded and returned.

[wayne]

great thread and excellent news.
we all should know the importance of recording for historical purposes.

It can only be good for our hobby,there is also the knowledge of where human activity was taking place,and detect the broader area.

[Chef Geoff]

I agree there does seem a disparity in what is recorded and what is actually available to view on the database. This is why I said complain or at least enquire.
There are a few layers to the recording process and it is not until the FLO is happy with the particular record that they then promote it for public view on the database, but of course without them then the database is useless as the research tool it was set up to be.
Because of this Mark Lodwick has only 78 records attributed to him for 2011, whereas Simone Johnson who I presume is his assistant has 1200. So the question has to be asked does he know how to operate the system and if he does then it would appear, on paper at least, that his assistant is doing all the donkey work and...is he worth the money?

I think this will show you that something isn't right with the Welsh record or maybe the FLO;

Mark Lodwick.....South Wales......78
Laura Burnett.....Somerset.........883
Kurt Adams........Gloucester.......747
Katie Hinds.........Wiltshire..........755
Peter Reavill.......Hereford
                       and Worcester....623
Nina Corey.........Cornwall..........780  (this is one of the sparsest counties in England)

I think you probably get my drift.

[Radnor Bandit (Ian)]

I also report my finds with Peter Reaville, why because Cardiff / south Wales is too far to travel to record. CPAT (Jeff Spencer, Welshpool) have lost their funding so cannot activly promote the PAS , though they will try record if possible. Basically if you want to record in POWYS go to Hereford and Shropshire, The figures for mid wales may be greater if we had more access to a welsh FLO in this area.
I agree self reporting is he way to go if you have some experience with identifing your finds,