The Government has published its long awaited National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline 2023, which sets out planned and projected investment in major economic and social infrastructure over the next 10 years, the workforce requirement to deliver it, as well as a list of near term planned procurements.  The aim is to help manufacturers and the wider industry make informed business planning decisions, and support investment in skills and construction productivity.

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From 6 April, all building-control professionals must pass a competence assessment and register with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), a division of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Lorna Stimpson, the chief executive of Local Authority Building Control (LABC,) has warned that this could mean that a considerable number of councils are at risk of discontinuing building-control services from April, unless the deadline for proving professional competence is extended.

In a significant move, she has urged senior officials at the HSE, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), and the Welsh Government to postpone the competence assessment deadline by six months for a smoother transition. She cautioned in a letter that many building-control professionals might not attain certification before the deadline, leading to “a significant number of authorities” in England and Wales being unable to carry out building control.

According to Stimpson, the absence of registered building inspectors in a local authority would have broad repercussions on the construction industry, consumers, regulatory enforcement, and compliance.  She states that the profession has had insufficient time to grasp the new requirements, with numerous surveyors yet to apply for registration or competence testing and also expressed concerns about the mental health impact on staff at the independent assessor bodies, with building control professionals experiencing a high level of stress due to the deadline.

She suggested that building surveyors should adhere to the BSR’s codes of conduct from 6 April and be enrolled in an independent assessment scheme, working towards certification by the revised deadline.

FIS chief executive Iain McIlwee said: “This is undoubtedly a concern for all in the supply chain as delays can be expensive and disruptive.  We urge all members to pay careful attention to their contracts and any liabilities associated with delay that could be imposed on them and encourage Government to heed the warnings of the LABC who are working closely with their local authority members to ensure that political ideology is matched to practical considerations and that we are all working together to deliver a safer and better culture in the construction sector supported by effective regulation and pragmatic, but robust enforcement.”

BABR, a long-established cash flow solutions business, is delighted to join the FIS as their trusted Finance Partner.  Members will benefit from a dedicated helpline, where free, no obligation support and guidance will be available for your financial quandaries.

Working with the FIS and its members, BABR will inform and educate with insightful content on financial topics for SpecFinish trade magazine and in webinars run at regular intervals through 2024, the first of which is planned for 17^th April 2024 – Webinar: Risk to Resilience – cashflow, funding and recovery options – FIS (thefis.org)

Find out more about BABR here