by Nicky Smith | Apr 25, 2018 | Main News Feed
A petition on fair payment and retentions, representing over 355,000 businesses, was delivered to Theresa May on Monday by Peter Aldous MP and industry leaders including FIS CEO David Frise. Supporters of the Aldous Bill and the petition on fair payments also gathered outside the gates of Number 10, including business owners directly affected by the collapse of Carillion in January.
The second reading of the Construction (Retention Deposit Schemes) Bill which was scheduled for 27 April, has been pushed back to Friday 15 June. The Bill proposes cash retentions be held in trust accounts to protect the supply chain.
FIS members have been writing to their MPs to gather support and other prominent MPs backing the reform include John McDonnell, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Kenneth Clarke, Ed Vaizey, Sir Vince Cable and Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas. Follow the link on the right to download the template letter asking your MP to support the Bill.
Peter Aldous tabled a private member’s bill to protect the millions of pounds of cash retentions withheld from construction SMEs. The Ten Minute Rule Bill will seek to amend the 1996 Construction Act and ensure that retentions within construction are held in a third party trust scheme.
David Frise commented: “The urgent need for reform is clear from the cross-party support the Aldous Bill has. The impact of lost Carillion retention money on apprentices, jobs and investment in the sector is already evident. Holding cash retentions in trust will make sure that the money is safe and does what it is intended to do.”
“The government will surely want to be seen to protect SMEs and to ensure the construction industry is sustainable so it can deliver its ambitious plans for housing and social welfare. SMEs are crucial to the government’s built environment and infrastructure programme.”
“Retentions and delayed payment put thousands of firms at risk of insolvency and undermine their efforts to invest in skills, training and improved productivity.”
by Nicky Smith | Apr 19, 2018 | Main News Feed
Associate members are an important part of the FIS community; they provide the services that accredited members need to ensure their businesses achieve optimum performance.
The range of services that they provide includes advisory, certification, consultancy, environment, fire and acoustic testing, health and safety, insurance, legal, recruitment, technical and training. Click on the members’ name below to visit their website and find out more.
Advisory
A D Design Consultants Ltd
Melbury Construction Consultants Ltd
T/A Solutions for Contractors
Wilkinson Construction Consultants Ltd
Certification
Foy Certification Ltd
Consultancy
TCA FP & DC Ltd
Environmental – Waste Management
Outsource Site Services
Prowaste Management Ltd
Fire and Acoustic Testing
The Building Test Centre, British Gypsum
Health & Safety
Citation Plc
Veritas Consulting Safety Services
Insurance
Darwin Clayton (UK) Ltd
Trident Insurance Brokers Ltd
E C Insurance Co (ECIC)
Kerry London
Legal
HKA
Recruitment
The Just Group ( Just Interiors Recruitment )
Thorn Baker Ltd
Endeavour Recruitment
Apex Resources Ltd
Technical & Software
On Centre Software
Steel Construction Institute
Chalkstring
Donseed
Trappco
Training
CWLC
by Nicky Smith | Apr 17, 2018 | Main News Feed
There are now 76 trade bodies and 120 MPs in support of the Aldous Bill, and ahead of the Second Reading on Friday 27 April, Peter Aldous is presenting a petition to 10 Downing Street, representing support for retentions reform and calling on Government to act.
The campaign is at a critical point and FIS members are urged to attend on Monday 23 April when the petition will be presented at around 13:30. People are meeting in Parliament Square, Westminster, at the Churchill statue at 12:30 and it is anticipated that proceedings should be over by 14:00.
The petition represents 341,408 businesses, sole traders and a delegation of:
• Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney
• Mike Cherry, National Chair, Federation of Small Businesses
• Stephen Martin, Director General, Institute of Directors
• Steve Bratt, CEO, ECA
• Brian Berry, CEO, Federation of Master Builders
• David Frise, CEO, BESA and FIS
Media and Peers have been invited to attend.
A meeting will take place in Westminster on Wednesday 18 April for MPs with constituents impacted by Carillion, and industry expertise is very welcome. A press and industry briefing will be held in Portcullis House with Peter Aldous on 25 April also, for those who wish to join.
Your support at the petition presentation may be the difference between government support – or not.
by Nicky Smith | Apr 13, 2018 | Main News Feed
Encon/Nevill Long is hosting a Spray Readymixed Finishing event, with Knauf, on Friday 18 May at its Newcastle branch. FIS members are invited to attend free of charge.
Two live demonstrations will take place at 9 am and 11.30 am. Each session will include:
• A full demonstration of Knauf Airless Finish, showing how fast, clean and efficient the system is
• An opportunity to use the spray machine and see the benefits of a premixed finish
• Free breakfast for everyone who attends
• Machine set-up and finishing, with experts on-hand to offer advice on spray machines
The event will take place at Encon/Nevill Long Newcastle: Unit E2, High Flatworth, Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate, North Shields, NE29 7UZ
To register your interest, please email NewcastleSprayDay@Encon.co.uk with your details, and which session you would like to attend.
Download the event flyer
by Nicky Smith | Apr 12, 2018 | Main News Feed
UK Construction Week is launching a new initiative for 2018 to help the industry compete for talent. It will do this by taking role models in the industry and elevating their profile and their story in a nationwide publicity campaign through trade and consumer media.
Role models will also be asked to take part in an outreach programme, going to colleges and schools in the coming months to talk to students and teachers at key stages of their education to explain what inspired them to choose construction as a career and bust any myths around the image of construction.
UK Construction Week is looking for professionals to apply or to be nominated. This is an opportunity for people to raise their own profile if they feel they deserve it, or for colleagues to nominate professionals they feel deserve recognition. This is a great chance for a company to raise its profile by showcasing its talent, as well as for unsung heroes to gain valuable encouragement, as well as help recruit a whole new generation of construction professionals.
This is aimed at all walks of the sector, whether you are a newly qualified apprentice, or someone who has transferred into the sector from the military or automotive industries. You could be working in plastering, drylining, partitions, ceilings and flooring, digital construction, facilities management, architecture, site management, bricklaying, roofing….the list goes on! They want a diverse and representative selection to show the world the myriad of opportunities and talent the sector holds.
Successful UKCW Role Models will be asked to speak at UK Construction Week on their Main stage or individual show stages, to take part in their UKCW student initiative, and they will be asked to write for their Construction Matters blog. They will be invited to selected events in the coming months, as well as being VIPs at the main event in October.
FIS would like show-case the talent that exists within the FIS membership and as a result are encouraging members to nominate individuals from their companies that fit this campaign criteria. Please email yasminkauser@thefis.org directly with your nominations by close of play 23 April 2018 and we will co-ordinate with UK Construction Week.
by Nicky Smith | Apr 12, 2018 | Main News Feed
From 15 to 28 May 2018, television’s DIY SOS team will be building for the Grenfell community and they need your help! In order to re-home the Dale Youth Boxing Gym and build a brand new two-storey community centre, the TV show needs local trades and supplies.
If you can help, please email diysos@bbc.co.uk with your trade details, availability, telephone and contact details.
