FIS AGM and Regional Meeting, London
Members and guests gathered in London on 7 November 2023 for the FIS AGM and Regional Meeting. We looked at competence, compliance and transformation in our sector. You can read all about the event here.
We had a number of external speakers join us to help stimulate discussion and debate and their presentations can be downloaded via the links below.
The minutes of the AGM are available to members here.
Tim Balcon, Chief Executive - CITB
Tim spoke of the systemic challenges in the training landscape and the role of CITB.
David Rintoul, Partner - Hill Dickinson
David gave a lawyers take on the Building Safety Act and how it would be interpreted.
Peter Apps, Author - Show Me The Bodies
Peter gave a hard hitting presentation based on his book and work around the Grenfell Inquiry, underpinning why change is needed and suggestion that regulation was a start, but we must look at our behaviours individually and collectively.
Panel Debate Competence, Compliance and Transformation
Tim, David and Peter were joined on the panel by Mark Hands from insurance broker Construction Shield and FIS President Phil Brown.
Concerns about funding and training kicked off the questions and discussion with further concerns being raised about the level of funding, how it is applied to apprenticeships, the eligibility for the levy and many companies “getting away” with not paying a levy. A focus on fairness is necessary and Tim Balcon agreed to take the comments away and review in the context of CITB Activities. He emphasised that they will work closely with FIS on the concept of Sector Plans.
Insurance and the shortcomings in current PI cover were also discussed. The disconnect between the Insurance Sector is something Construction Shield are working with FIS on and trying to ensure that underwriters can demonstrate risk. Questions were asked about why the sector doesn’t move to project insurance and IM reflected that this has been something FIS has been lobbying for through a CLC working Group looking at insurance, but it is more of a long term aim, so we can’t push for this without any focus on the short term issues that we see in the PI market. This led into a discussion that standard contracts could not be used in a project insurance environment, but questions were asked about the adequacy of existing Standard for Contracts. The fact that they have still not been updated in the face of the Building Safety Act is a concern and there remains a concern that they are routinely amended and no longer fit for purpose.
Discussion then moved to the Gateways and whether design needed to be completed before works commence. David Rintoul advised that the regulations allow for reasonable process to be put forward, but that major and notifiable changes are material. IM went on to add that there is definitely a growing understanding of the need to consider the interior system earlier. He reference the work Joe Cilia (FIS Technical Director) is doing in his role Co-Chairing the Passive Fire Knowledge Group, looking at potential Gateway issues with Main Contractors. He noted that he still remains concerned that the Technical Teams get it, but Procurement teams seem to have “missed the memo” thus far.
The importance of Early Supply Chain Involvement, better procurement and the potential leverage that the new CDM requirements place on clients was highlighted as an important consideration.
IM thanked all for attending and British Gypsum for their sponsorship and Hill Dickinson for Hosting the event.