It is no surprise to any of us that Council enforcement departments are usually underfunded and the current laws that they have to work with are slow and ineffective.  Most actions taken against homeowners/builders/developers take several months and, in our conservation area, have taken over a year.  Even then, when fines are levied, they are very small in comparison to the possible profit to builders/developers.  On a recent visit to Bordeaux, I found that their system for breaking the rules in conservation areas allows a fine at the end of EVERY month in which the offence is not rectified.  Maybe it is time to toughen up our Council Enforcement departments and let them keep the funds generated allowing them to keep pace with the rulebreakers.  I realise that this would involve some fairly major changes to the statute book, but, it could be one way to make sure that our heritage is preserved.