The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has announced its next Chairman as Stephen Roots. Roots currently works at AA Projects as Divisional Director FM and Health & Safety and will start his new role at the institute on January 1 next year, succeeding current Chairman Julie Kortens. Meanwhile, Ashleigh
Contractor Bam Nuttall is facing a £36.5 million repairs claim over the defects on Cambridgeshire’s Guide Busway. A council committee will now examine the findings of the report carried out by Capita into defects on the Busway, which Bam Nuttall completed in August 2011. The Capita report said that the
Construction firm Ashcourt Group has acquired a minority stake in £7 million turnover waste business Wastewise after a director left the company. Aschcourt, based in Hull, has taken the stake of director Dan Ingram, who is leaving the company after 15 years of service. Ingram is moving on to concentrate
The government has announced that funding has been set aside for several more Northern Powerhouse projects. Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed that the government is to provide £556 million to Local Enterprise Partnerships throughout the north through a third round of Growth Deals. The government has also backed four more major
The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has announced its next Chairman as Stephen Roots. Roots currently works at AA Projects as Divisional Director FM and Health & Safety and will start his new role at the institute on January 1 next year, succeeding current Chairman Julie Kortens. Meanwhile, Ashleigh Brown will continue in her post as Deputy Chairman. One of the major developments during Kortens’ tenure has been the opening up of routes to the Board, part of the wider governance changes that were ratified at the 2016 AGM. Over the coming weeks there will be more information on this new nomination and selection process for non-Executive Director positions to the Board. Speaking on his election as the next Chairman at the October Board meeting, Stephen Roots, commented: “It was a huge honour to be voted as Chairman-Elect of BIFM and I look forward to taking up the post from January. Throughout my career in FM I have passionately supported and endorsed the role that the Institute has to play in representing the interests of the profession, raising standards and providing the educational framework and services for FM professionals to develop. “I have been actively involved with the BIFM for 12 years as a volunteer first within my region, and with the BIFM Board for 4 years and most recently as Deputy Chairman. Having worked closely with Julie and the Board, I am excited to be taking the helm to continue to build on these foundations and the strategy set by the Board, which is already starting to yield results and which I believe is the key to the future success of the Institute. “I also want to take this moment on behalf of the Board to thank Julie Kortens for all she has done for BIFM over her tenure. I have worked closely with Julie during this time and seen the hard work put in to direct, change and evolve the Institute to build its resilience and ability to grow into the future. Her continued support, guidance and counsel is invaluable, and I personally thank Julie for the support she has lent me in this transition.”
Contractor Bam Nuttall is facing a £36.5 million repairs claim over the defects on Cambridgeshire’s Guide Busway. A council committee will now examine the findings of the report carried out by Capita into defects on the Busway, which Bam Nuttall completed in August 2011. The Capita report said that the defects represented a breach of contract by Bam Nuttall. The report recommended that the contractor should repair the defects at an initial cost of £36.5 million, along with paying for the legal fees. Among the main defects found by Capita in its latest report were: steps developing at the joints of the guideway’s ladders, concrete breaking along the guideway and moving guideway foundations. Next week, the council will decide whether it will support a joint approach to the issue, which may see the council negotiate with Bam Nuttall at the same time as beginning legal proceedings. Repair works to the Busway would be carried out in sections to keep the route open. The claims have come as part of a long running disagreement between the council and the contractor regarding the Busway, which started five years ago when the contractor handed the Busway over to the council. The council launched an initial claim for £55 million as they said that Bam Nuttall had handed the project over two years behind schedule. In 2012, Bam Nuttall issued a counterclaim for £43 million but agreed to pay a £33 million settlement the following year. The original contract for the work to be carried out by Bam Nuttall was valued at £83.9m. Around £126 million had been budgeted to pay for the whole Busway project including construction and other costs such as land acquisitions. After Bam Nuttall agreed to pay the settlement, the council said the cost of the scheme had risen to almost £152m, largely because of legal fees incurred fighting the case.
Construction firm Ashcourt Group has acquired a minority stake in £7 million turnover waste business Wastewise after a director left the company. Aschcourt, based in Hull, has taken the stake of director Dan Ingram, who is leaving the company after 15 years of service. Ingram is moving on to concentrate on property development interests and farming. Wastewise has started operating from Ashcroft’s site in the centre of Hull, and the construction firm will provide financial backing for waste-processing infrastructure including materials recycling, biomass and alternative fuel production facilities. Last year, Wastewise invested in a new composting facility, with Ashcourt now helping with civil works for the £1 million improvement plan. Each year, Wastewise collects, recycles and composts around 100,000 tonnes of waste for private and public sector clients. It grew from a £3 million turnover business three years ago to a forecast of £7 million for this year. Ashcourt is involved in property development, plant hire, civil engineering, construction, haulage, concrete, quarrying and recycled aggregates. Wastewise’s managing director, James Landau, commented: “This new partnership with the Ashcourt Group will have an unprecedented effect on the future of Wastewise and the business we are in. “There are many areas of common interest between the two companies and like us, Ashcourt is adding to its portfolio offering and growing its business. Ashcourt’s future involvement in Wastewise will bring a number of exciting opportunities that the new Board will look to capitalise on.” Finance director at Ashcourt, Leigh Churchill, said: “We have been greatly impressed with Wastewise and the developments it has made in a relatively short time. This new shareholder deal will strengthen both parties allowing us to offer an even better, all-encompassing service to our customers. We are looking forward to getting more involved with Wastewise and to the new horizons this brings.”
The government has announced that funding has been set aside for several more Northern Powerhouse projects. Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed that the government is to provide £556 million to Local Enterprise Partnerships throughout the north through a third round of Growth Deals. The government has also backed four more major schemes through its Local Majors Fund: the Warrington Waterfront Western Link, the Sheffield Supertram renewal, the Tees Valley east-west connection project and the A1079/A164 Jocks Lodge Junction in East Riding. All four of these projects have successfully bid for business case development funding. Along with these, the M6 North West quadrant of Manchester and the Pennines A66 improvement works will also be included as part of the government’s latest Roads Investment Strategy, while two junctions of the A69 will be improved using pinch-point funding. The government is also set to carry on developing options for Northern Powerhouse Rail along with Transport for the North, with the next steps for the scheme set to be revealed in 2017. Plans were also confirmed for the £400 million Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, which will invest in SMEs throughout the north and will make its first investments at the beginning of next year. Away from the transport sector, the chancellor backed the restoration of the Grade I listed Wentworth Woodhouse country house near Rotherham with £7.6 million of funding, subject to business case approval. Yorkshire and the North East are being “left behind” their Northern Powerhouse neighbours in the race to fund major projects, council leaders have warned. More than £41bn of infrastructure spending is planned in the North West over the next five years, compared to £15bn in Yorkshire and the North East. Council leaders want the Autumn Statement to tackle the imbalance. The Treasury said the figures are “not a fair reflection of the investment”. A spokesman said 550 infrastructure projects have been created in the North since 2010.
