by Nicky Smith | 6 Jul, 2017 | Main News Feed
After a successful inaugural event in 2016, our Scottish Awards Lunch will be held at the George Hotel in Edinburgh on Friday 6 October. The Lunch looks set to attract in excess of 150 members and guests; winners of the FIS Scottish Awards will be announced and presented by our guest speaker and compère Bill Copeland.
Please book your tickets via the events page here.
There are a small number of sponsorship opportunities available. If you are interested in any of these, please get in touch either by emailing clairmooney@thefis.org or call the office on 0121 707 0077.
View the event details and winners of the inaugural Scottish Awards in 2016 here, winning projects can be viewed in the image gallery.
by Nicky Smith | 6 Jul, 2017 | Main News Feed
The Government’s independent public inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower will examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017. It will establish the facts and will make recommendations as to the action needed to prevent a similar tragedy happening again.
The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, will soon start to gather evidence. That will include:
- considering reports by the police, the fire brigade, safety experts and others
- obtaining all relevant documents from whatever sources
- contacting anyone who may have relevant information to give and who may be called as a witness
Anyone who thinks they have relevant documents or information should make sure they are retained and made available to the Inquiry.
Those with an interest are invited to help shape the work of the public Inquiry into the fire. Anyone can submit written views online or in writing. The consultation document is available to download here.
All suggestions must be made to the Inquiry team by 5 pm on 14 July 2017.
Suggestions should be sent to contact@grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk or by post to:
Grenfell Inquiry Team
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
The Inquiry will produce a preliminary report as soon as possible, which is expected to provide answers to the most urgent questions affecting the safety of tower blocks.
For fire protection information, visit the Technical section of our Knowledge Hub here.
by Nicky Smith | 5 Jul, 2017 | Main News Feed
CITB is hosting a series of Grants and Funding workshops, including one-to-one sessions, during August. Book your free workshop to learn about:
- Flexible and structured funds (what is available and how to apply)
- Update on grants available, CITB products and services, and card schemes
- Update on Apprenticeship funding, frameworks/standards, recruitment and supporting apprentices
- Discuss your Apprenticeship needs with a CITB Apprenticeship Officer
Advisers and Apprenticeship Officers will also be available for one-to-one sessions from 1.30pm – 3.00pm to answer any questions you may have and offer information on other ways that CITB can support your business.
To find out more about how CITB can help support your business, please book a session using the links below. If you have problems booking a place, please email Shirley Ratcliffe. If you are unable to attend an event and would like more information on CITB support, please contact the customer services team on 0344 994 4455.
2 August – Bournemouth
3 August – Swindon
8 August – Fareham
9 August – Winchester
22 August – Oxford
23 August – Maidenhead
24 August – Sussex
30 August – Bordon
by Nicky Smith | 5 Jul, 2017 | Main News Feed
Three weeks after the devastating Grenfell Tower fire, we bring you a round-up of the week’s industry responses. A research briefing paper from Parliament.co.uk sets out the events and commentary around the Grenfell Tower fire, the relevant building regulations, fire safety laws and housing standards, the Government response to the fire, the responsibilities around re-housing, and previous concerns raised by fire regulations.
Landlords are engaging in a checking and testing process for Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding. The tests that are currently being conducted at BRE – on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) – are a screening test to identify which ACM panels are of concern.
ACA is an Association that represents architects’ private practices in the UK. As publishers of Forms of Appointments and Building Contracts the ACA has a long and special interest in successful design, procurement and construction. Its response asks if the Design and Procurement of buildings in England and Wales are currently working as it should? If not, how can it be improved to prevent future catastrophic failures? The ACA sets out 41 relevant questions following the disaster.
The International Institute of Risk and Safety Management provides the open letter to the Prime Minister from over 70 leading organisations and figures from the UK’s safety and health profession. They call for a political sea change in attitude towards health and safety regulation and fire risk management following the Grenfell tragedy.
The Scottish Government reported that the second meeting of a Ministerial Working Group, convened to examine building and fire safety regulatory frameworks, has taken place. The group oversees a review of building and fire safety regulatory frameworks with an initial focus on high rise domestic buildings.
by Nicky Smith | 4 Jul, 2017 | Main News Feed
A summary of June’s data from the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI® revealed that the UK construction sector recovery lost momentum in June.
Other key findings include:
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- Business activity growth slows from May’s 17-month high
- Weaker rises in new orders and employment
- Business optimism eases to its lowest so far in 2017
To view the full report, click here.
by Nicky Smith | 30 Jun, 2017 | Main News Feed
After a 12-month period full of surprises, I guess it shouldn’t really have come as a surprise to find that we now have a period of political uncertainty to add to the general uncertainty generated by Brexit.
They say you get the politicians you deserve, but, really, are we this bad? Two prime ministers in a row have, through a combination of arrogance, contempt for the electorate and ineptitude, plunged the UK into an uncertain future. A hung parliament effectively erases the Conservative Party manifesto of any of the contentious policies such as social care – the so-called dementia tax – and will see them replaced with bland DUP-approved policies that do not upset one side in Northern Ireland.
In June 2016, we were looking at a period of sustained growth and had a stable, if flawed, relationship with our nearest neighbours and biggest market in the EU. All that the majority of business leaders had to consider was their investment plans for the future: should we build that new factory, invest in new technology or hire additional staff?
Now, 12 months later, the abiding sentiment in the business community is one of uncertainty – and uncertainty is the enemy of investment decision-making.
Doing a deal with the DUP may be politically expedient but it comes at the risk of unravelling the delicate balance that is politics in Northern Ireland. The leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Ruth Davidson, has said that she puts country and her beliefs before the party. If only Mr Cameron and Mrs May had done that instead of carrying out their opportunistic referendum and election gambles, both of which spectacularly backfired.
So, what now for Brexit? Hard, soft or open? One thing became evident during the election campaign that was called to give Mrs May a mandate for a Brexit deal: the government clearly has no idea what a post-Brexit UK will look like. We were left with banal clichés such as “no deal is better than a bad deal”.
Far from being “bloody difficult”, our prime minister just looked inept and over confident. She completely handed the initiative to the EU negotiators by triggering Article 50 to set the two-year deadline, then calling and losing her majority in the election.
At the time of writing, negotiations are shortly due to start on Brexit. Is it possible to imagine a worse run-up to those negotiations? Unsurprisingly, the Europeans are scratching their heads about what we want.
Despite all of that, the UK remains a great place to do business and invest. Where else in the world can you find a fair legal system, a skilled workforce, a good banking system and an openness to foreign investment? I would add a stable political system, as chaotic as it currently appears.
So, there is something to look forward to, provided the politicians can start to make progress on the Brexit negotiations.
Find July’s SpecFinish on the Publications section of our Membership Hub here
