by Nicky Smith | 4 Dec, 2017 | Main News Feed
Seven of the construction industry’s major trade bodies have set out what they believe to be the sector’s responsibilities and requirements in a post-Brexit labour market. The Association for Consultancy & Engineering, Build UK, Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Construction Products Association, Federation of Master Builders, Home Builders Federation and National Federation of Builders support the joint Construction Industry Brexit Manifesto.
The document sets out 12 key recommendations to the Government and industry on what it will need from a post-Brexit immigration system in order to be able to deliver the Government’s strategic objectives for new housing and infrastructure, including:
- The Government should embark upon a communications campaign that makes clear to EU workers currently residing in the UK that they will have no serious impediments to gaining settled status
- Industry bodies should continue to work with CITB to conduct a construction industry-wide census and other research that provides a clear evidence base regarding skills requirements and future training needs, now and in the longer term
- The Government should agree a transition period of at least two years as soon as possible during which time EU workers arriving in the UK should continue to have a path to settled status
- The construction sector should agree what it can realistically achieve in terms of increased training and recruitment of homegrown workers over the next five years based on the industry-wide census
Suzannah Nichol MBE, Chief Executive of Build UK, said: “Construction, like other major industry sectors, has substantial concerns over the impact of Brexit on its ability to recruit, train and retain talent. It is essential that industry works together to present the need for an effective partnership between Government and industry, enabling us to deliver the UK’s infrastructure, homes and communities.”
Prof. Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, said: “Access to the right skills will be absolutely critical for the whole construction supply chain in the next few years if it is to help Government achieve its aims of building more affordable housing and improving the UK’s infrastructure, which will be vital for boosting UK productivity.”
John Slaughter, Director of External Affairs at the Home Builders Federation, said: “With the Budget having confirmed a target to deliver 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s, home builders will need to continue to bring more skilled people into the industry. Companies are building on their existing investment through the successful work of the CITB-supported Home Building Skills Partnership and are committed to doing even more, but to deliver the national social and economic necessity of an improved housing supply we will also continue to need access to foreign workers under a manageable migration system.”
by Nicky Smith | 4 Dec, 2017 | Main News Feed
In 2017, the President’s Lunch, Contractors’ Awards Lunch and Scottish Awards Lunch welcomed nominated charities to collect donations and proceeds from each of the prize draws totalling £8,498.
In February, representatives from the BounceBack charity attended the President’s Lunch to collect £2,726 raised in the prize draw. The first prize, sponsored by Metsec, was a Fortnum and Mason hamper. Second prize was an Amazon Kindle, sponsored by CCF. The third prize was a BB-8 Droid, jointly sponsored by Vela Training and approved training provider NowGetQualified.
The year’s biggest event, the Contractors’ Awards Lunch, raised a total of £4,640 for BounceBack; the auction of the ‘Ceiling Fixer’ sculpture (see photo above) went to Tapper Interiors with a very generous winning bid of £1,650. Representatives from BounceBack collected £2,990 in donations from attendees.
In October, we invited Hansel Fundraising to the Scottish Awards Lunch in Edinburgh. FIS members Brian Hendry Interiors, Scotwood Interiors and Veitchi Interiors donated prizes for the draw which raised a total of £1,132.
We will continue to support various charities in 2018; our first event is the President’s Lunch on Tuesday 6 February. If you haven’t done so already, book your tickets here.
by Nicky Smith | 4 Dec, 2017 | Main News Feed
Duncan Brock, Director of Customer Relationships at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: “Across construction supply chains, delivery times have been under pressure, as materials were in higher demand, while stocks remained in short supply. Lead-times from vendors have now deteriorated in every month for over 7 years. Overall, the sector showed an incremental improvement, but business optimism was on the rise and up from last month’s five-year low. Perhaps the darkest days are behind the sector with fresh impetus on the horizon for the New Year.”
New orders and employment numbers also increased to the greatest extent in five months. However, the improvement in construction growth was largely confined to residential work. The latest survey revealed sustained reductions in commercial building and civil engineering, with the latter now experiencing its longest period of decline since the first half of 2013.
The latest reading of 53.1 was the highest for five months and signalled a solid rate of business activity growth across the construction sector. House building projects were again the primary growth engine for construction activity. Survey respondents suggested that resilient demand and a supportive policy backdrop had driven the robust and accelerated upturn in residential work. Commercial construction was the weakest performing area of activity in November, which continued the trend seen for much of 2017 so far.
Some firms noted that Brexit-related uncertainty and the subdued economic outlook had held back spending among clients. Meanwhile, civil engineering activity fell for the third successive month, which represents the longest phase of decline seen for over four years. That said, the latest drop in work on civil engineering projects was only marginal. Some survey respondents commented on hopes that forthcoming tender opportunities on infrastructure programmes (particularly energy and transport) would help to support workloads.
Construction companies indicated a moderate rebound in new orders in November, with the rate of expansion the fastest for five months. Anecdotal evidence cited a general improvement in client demand after the soft patch this summer. Higher levels of new work helped to support a moderate rise in staff numbers and input buying in November. Lead-times for construction products and materials lengthened sharply, linked to pressure on supplier capacity. However, cost inflation eased to its least marked for 14 months, with some firms reporting signs that exchange-rate driven price rises had started to lose intensity. Business confidence regarding the year-ahead outlook for construction activity remained among the most subdued since mid-2013, which panel members mainly linked to heightened political and economic uncertainty. However, the degree of optimism picked up from October’s 58-month low, helped by a modest recovery in new invitations to tender during the latest survey period.
Download the full report here.
by Nicky Smith | 30 Nov, 2017 | Main News Feed
During November, we welcomed five new companies to the FIS membership. As Contractor Members, the two companies are Warwick Glass (part of Warwick Group) and Drywall Contracts Ltd. Our new Supplier Member is Tri-Fix Industrial Fasteners Ltd.
As Service Providers, the companies are Trappco Ltd and Donseed UK Ltd.
We look forward to a long and successful relationship with our new and existing members.
by Nicky Smith | 30 Nov, 2017 | Main News Feed
The HMRC is running free webinars during the first week of December, providing members with advice and support regarding the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). Whether you’re new to CIS or building on your existing knowledge, the online help will explain how the scheme works and your responsibilities.
CIS for contractors – Monday 4 December, 12 pm to 1 pm
This live webinar covers employment status, verifying subcontractors, deductions and sending your CIS returns online.
Register here
CIS for subcontractors – Thursday 7 December, 4 pm to 5 pm
This live webinar will tell you how to register with HMRC, what expenses you can claim, how your deduction rate is worked out and the importance of keeping records.
Register here
You will be able to ask questions during the webinars using the on-screen textbox.
by Nicky Smith | 30 Nov, 2017 | Main News Feed
On Wednesday 29 November, the European court of justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg ruled that workers are entitled to paid leave and can claim compensation if they are not allowed to take their holidays. The ruling follows a long-running legal challenge involving a UK window salesman, who had been paid entirely on commission and his contract described him as self-employed.
The case is one of a series that have gone to the Luxembourg court to establish whether businesses operating in the ‘gig economy’ are depriving employees of benefits to which they should be entitled by reclassifying workers as self-employed. In its judgment on Wednesday morning, the ECJ said: “A worker must be able to carry over and accumulate unexercised rights to paid annual leave when an employer does not put that worker in a position in which he is able to exercise his right to paid annual leave.”
Read the full article here.
