Construction Leadership Council restructure questioned

Concern that the new structure doesn’t represent the whole industry.

News of the restructuring of the Construction Leadership Council has been met with mixed reaction in the industry.

Announced by the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), the Council’s membership will be reduced to 12, from its previous 30 members.

It is a move designed to make the construction council smaller and more business-led.

With members from Bouyges UK, Laing O’Rourke, and Crossrail, the hope is that the new council will represent a mix of businesses and broad perspectives in the construction industry.

Skills Minister and Co-Chair of the council, Nick Boles, reacted to the restructure. He commented: “The construction industry recently saw its 24^th month of consecutive year-on-year growth, and is key to our plan for increasing Britain’s productivity and prosperity.”

“We will work closely with the newly focused Construction Leadership Council, with its top business expertise, to deliver that plan and drive growth for the sector and wider community.”

Under the new structure, the Delivery Group of the Construction Leadership Council and role of Chief Construction Advisor have both been abolished.

And because of the changes, there are some in the industry who believe that the new structure is not representative of the whole industry.

The Construction Products Association is ‘disappointed’ with the new council because “it does not have an industry leader from construction product manufacturing or distribution.”

Dr Diana Montgomery, Chief Executive of the CPA, while happy with the acknowledgement of the Strategic Forum as an important industry voice, explained her disappointment with the new structure.

She said: “If Government is serious about speaking to industry about tackling the most important issues in construction, particularly productivity, then it needs to ensure that the whole construction supply chain is an important part of strategic discussions and decision making.

“Construction product manufacturing and distribution account for over one third of the construction activity so it is remiss not to include an industry leader from this part of construction of the Construction Leadership Council.”

Elsewhere, the Construction Industry Council (CIC), representing 46 professional organisations that maintain and create the built environment, believes the construction industry should have been consulted before this restructuring was announced.

Tony Burton, CIC Chairman and former Construction Leadership Council member, said: “It is a pity that this announcement comes without meaningful consultation with industry about the proposals.

“This is especially so given the industry’s unanimous support for the continuation of the Chief Construction Adviser’s role and it is a pity that this united voice has been ignored.

“The two Chief Construction Advisers over the past six years have provided a key role both in terms of their advice to Government about being a better client and becoming the key interface between Government and the industry.

“CIC has supported the role throughout and we were happy to increase the level of support since we believe that the role is so vital.”

RIBA’s Chief Executive, continued this theme. He spoke of the ‘vital’ need for the Government to work with the whole sector and believes not having a Chief Construction Adviser will result in “a significant gap.”

“If we are to tackle the housing crisis and deliver the infrastructure needed, it is vital that Government works with the whole sector, including architects and other professional services’ providers, who coordinate, enable and drive this work,” he said.

“The loss of the Chief Construction Adviser role at this crucial time will leave a significant gap in terms of drawing together the skills of the sector.”

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