by Clair Mooney | 13 Dec, 2018 | Main News Feed
On the day of the announcement that the vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister has cast further uncertainty on Brexit, FIS has produced for its members a Preparing for Brexit Checklist. The checklist focusses on the questions that members need to start asking across the Product, Process and People elements of their business (the three pillars of the FIS Quality in Construction Strategy). Whilst not exhaustive it aims to help members understand the impact of Brexit and look at potential risk, challenges and opportunities.
Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO says “We are constantly hearing businesses need to start preparing for Brexit. In fairness Government has started to draw information together but the complexity and volume of information is overwhelming to most small and medium sized businesses.
The simple fact is preparing for Brexit is extremely difficult whilst Brexit is being kicked around like a political football in Westminster and regardless of the outcome or our own views, there remains so much uncertainty and cause for concern out here in the real world.
Instead of trying to predict outcomes, FIS have developed the “Preparing for Brexit Checklist” to help focus on the elements that will most likely impact on our members and help them to adopt a more risk-management based process. It is all about starting to have the right conversations with staff, sub-contractors, suppliers and customers and identifying where the impact may be. It is very much a live document and I’m sure our members will help us to shape it further with their questions, comments and views – at the end of the day we are a community and at times like these we need to draw together.”
For more information on the Preparing for Brexit Checklist visit our website at:
www.thefis.org/knowledge-hub/brexit-checklist/
by Clair Mooney | 10 Dec, 2018 | Main News Feed
New Government plans to crack down on late payments could see public sector outsourcers who take months to pay their own suppliers, being blocked from bidding for new contracts.
From next autumn procurement bosses will be expected to assess whether or not suppliers on contracts worth more than £5m per year have “robust measures” to ensure subcontractors are paid on time and are settling 95% of their invoices within 60 days of receipt.
Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden, said those who are found to be paying their suppliers later “could stop winning public contracts altogether – until they clean up their act”.
The move follows the collapse of Carillion, a major Government contractor that maintained schools, prisons and hospitals, in January, which has since been accused of hiding the true scale of its debts by using supply chain finance, as suppliers were forced to either use the scheme or wait 120 days to be paid.
FIS chief executive said “At the end of the day any focus on poor payment is welcome, but again whilst we support the approach the language is still a bit woolly, I’d be happier to see the word ‘could’ replaced with ‘will’. Payment remains a real cancer at the core of construction that undermines a healthy culture’.
Martin McTague of the Federation of Small Businesses said the new rules would “send a clear message that paying late is not okay.”
He added: “Measures to open up public procurement give tax payers and our public services access to the innovation and value small firms bring, as well as helping our economy.”
The new rule is the latest in a series of efforts by the Government to crack down on late payments, which are estimated by the FSB to have caused cash flow problems for more than one third of small firms.
Paul Uppal, a former Tory MP and small business owner, was appointed the first Small Business Commissioner last year with a specific remit to tackle the problem. In October ministers vowed to pay 90% of small central government suppliers within five days.
Mr Dowden said: “Companies providing crucial services to the public sector, like supporting prisons and delivering road infrastructure projects, must be paid on time.
“Paying invoices promptly is vital in providing healthy cash flow, particularly for smaller businesses who are the backbone of the UK economy, to help them survive and thrive.
by Clair Mooney | 30 Nov, 2018 | Main News Feed
FIS and nine other leading trade and professional bodies have come together to understand what skills are in greatest demand as the UK prepares its exit from the EU.
The survey, which will go out to more than 20,000 companies across the UK construction sector, will ask respondents to indicate which roles they are finding it difficult to recruit now and which they expect to be challenging post-Brexit.
The survey is supported by the following industry groups.
- Association for Consultancy & Engineering
- Build UK and member trade bodies
- Chartered Institute of Building
- Civil Engineering Contractors Association
- Construction Plant-hire Association
- Construction Products Association and member trade bodies
- Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS)
- Federation of Master Builders
- Highways Term Maintenance Association
- National Federation of Builders
Companies that are not part of the above organisations are also invited to contribute to the research to ensure that the survey has as wide reach as possible. Evidence uncovered from the survey will be used to identify where the industry should be focussing its efforts to recruit new workers.
It will also be used to engage with the government and Migration Advisory Committee to support decision-making on appropriate migration for workers from the EU and rest of the world.
Mark Reynolds, Mace chief executive and skills lead for the Construction Leadership Council, said: “We know that our sector will need to recruit hundreds of thousands of new workers over the coming years. We want to ensure that this recruitment is supported with targeted actions by industry and government. The first step in achieving this is the development of a detailed picture of those occupations where we face the biggest challenge. I welcome the fact that the industry is unifying to develop this research and encourage all companies from across the industry to take part in the survey.”
Hannah Vickers, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, said: “With all the uncertainty around Brexit and its impact on skills, we need to make sure that our industry has a sound evidence base from which to argue, which is why I will be asking all our members to participate in the survey. We will need to come together in one voice and collectively make the case for construction to government, ensuring that any post-Brexit agreement secures the skills our sector needs now and into the future.”
Iain McIlwee, FIS chief executive said: “FIS is running one of the most ambitious skills programmes in construction, but we can’t do it alone, it is vital that the industry as a whole unites to focus on the skills we need now and for the future of the construction sector”.
Click here to take part in the industry skills shortages survey.
by Clair Mooney | 27 Nov, 2018 | Main News Feed
An outline of the Political Declaration setting out the draft framework for the future UK/EU relationship has been summarised covering those aspects which of specific interest to members of the Construction Products Association. Being a Political Declaration this carries no legal certainty. View the full document here, under the ‘Construction Products Association’ tab.
by Clair Mooney | 27 Nov, 2018 | Main News Feed
To enable a smooth transition for UK/EU activities in mid-process at the end of the Implementation Period, specific rules need putting in place to ensure the orderly continuation of activities between the two parties. This CPA information paper summarises some aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement of importance to CPA members. View the full document here, under the ‘Construction Products Association’ tab.
by Clair Mooney | 26 Nov, 2018 | Main News Feed
CITB is seeking influential industry representatives to apply to become a Trustee of its Board.
Construction skills are critical to the economy and this is a particularly important time to join the Board. Trustees have collective responsibility for CITB’s strategic direction, monitoring delivery and business performance, maintaining proper financial oversight and ensure effective Board governance. The Board is accountable to the Secretary of State for Education, the Charity Commission and more generally to Construction Industry stakeholders. Trustees will bring their specific knowledge and expertise to the Board. They seek to deliver the statutory functions of the Board in the best interests of the Construction Industry as a whole and must make decisions independent of any affiliation to their own business or sector interests.
The Board formally meets at least four times a year at locations throughout the UK. All Trustees are expected to undertake occasional UK travel to relevant stakeholder locations.
Full details on this vacancy can be found online at https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/appointment/construction-industry-training-board-trustee/
