Last month saw a fall in property supply for more than half of towns and cities in the UK, the latest data from House Simple has revealed. The falls in towns and cities comes despite an overall supply gaining 4.8%, with the report showing biggest falls in supply in Loughborough
More contractors are being urged to report incidents in order for others to learn from them. Bill Hewlett, Technical Director at Costain, has been appointed as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) and he delivered the message of encouraging more incident reporting. An independent body, SCOSS is
Chairman of the Crossrail project, Terry Morgan, has been awarded a knighthood as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016. As well as the knighthood, the construction industry also received a CBE for property developer and former crane owner Martin Ainscough in the honours list. Sir Terry Morgan started his
Domestic gas appliances in buildings with low ventilation rates have been linked to potential concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), according to the latest report. The investigation has been carried out by the Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers and the Gas Safety Trust, undertaken by the Health & Safety Executive’s
National social enterprise and procurement organisation Fusion21 has made the shortlist in the Chartered Institute of Procurement (CIPS) Supply Management Awards 2016. Announced as a finalist in the ‘Best Contribution to the Reputation of Procurement’ category, Fusion21 is one of two organisations nominated for the award – which recognises procurement
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned that apprenticeship schemes are to become endangered due to uncertainty regarding the new UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy for training. FMB Scotland has said that unless the Scottish government makes a commitment to ring fence the new training Levy, then the growth of apprentice
Property Butler has announced the launch of a new conveyancing and concierge service for estate agents. Part of Sort Limited, the firm revealed the proposition which is geared towards putting the estate agent in a powerful position by providing reasonable conveyancing services in the early stages of the purchase process.
777 Group – Best Practice Under Pressure (The Following is a Promoted Article) The demolition sector has undergone major transformation in the last 20 years; with increasingly demanding standards in regards to anything from health and safety to rates of recycling, as well as advances in technology, those unwilling or
Worcester, Bosch Group has announced its winners of this year’s Environment 2020 Awards ceremony. The annual event, which was first established in 2000, recognises the best practice in the industry and celebrates the work of those who have showed a commitment to recommending hot water technologies and energy efficient heating
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced the timeline for redesigning the construction industry levy. CITB says it will consult with employers in the construction sector to discuss how its levy could work in relation to the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy. As planned, the Consensus process will take place next
Last month saw a fall in property supply for more than half of towns and cities in the UK, the latest data from House Simple has revealed. The falls in towns and cities comes despite an overall supply gaining 4.8%, with the report showing biggest falls in supply in Loughborough and Southport. In these towns, the supply of new property listings went down by 24.1% and 28% respectively and of all the areas that saw the biggest falls in supply, almost half (47%) were in the North of England. On the other end of the scale, Lichfield in the West Midlands saw an unprecedented increase of 55.8% for its new property listings last month compared to April, while Rugby and Chesterfield saw increases of 32.5% and 35.7% respectively. The most positive news from the research came in the Midlands, as a third of towns and cities that saw the biggest increases in supply came there. London saw an overall decrease in supply, however 53% of the 32 London boroughs saw supply increases in May, with Waltham Forest leading the way with a 31% month on month increase after an 8% rise in April. Merton was the second best performing borough, with a 30% supply increase last month, following April’s 15% rise. House Simple’s CEO, Alex Gosling, said that despite an increase in property supply in May, vast areas of the country saw a fall in the number of new properties listed. Some have suggested that this may be down to the economic uncertainty surrounding the EU referendum, with scare tactics used by both sides of the debate resulting in a lack of confidence from both sellers and buyers. As a result, the current period that usually sees a significant amount of activity in the property market may now see a drop in market activity due to the Brexit vote in three weeks.
More contractors are being urged to report incidents in order for others to learn from them. Bill Hewlett, Technical Director at Costain, has been appointed as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) and he delivered the message of encouraging more incident reporting. An independent body, SCOSS is supported by the Health & Safety Executive, the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers (IstructE). Its aim is to encourage the highest standards of structural safety by sharing stories of near misses and safety failures. The presidents of both IstructE and ICE appoint the chairman and have now selected Mr Hewlett to take up the post, who will now be involved in the Confidential Reporting on Structural Safety (CROSS) scheme. Mr Hewlett said that both CROSS and SCOSS provide an invaluable and unique service, and that it will be crucial for CROSS and SCOSS to be in the full breadth of structural engineering, including infrastructure, nuclear and petro-chem as well as all types of buildings. He is aiming to expand the organisation’s reach in order to encourage more contractors to report their near misses and incidents. He added that he will be particularly looking for more engagement with the contracting sector of the industry, especially small and medium sized enterprises, while also examining their global outreach. Mr Hewlett also said that he is encouraging everyone from all sectors of the industry to play their part in the scheme by reporting their own structural safety experiences as well as signing up for their newsletters. He concluded by stating the vital importance of understanding risks and hazards in ensuring structural safety and that this was the best way to learn about them. Contractors who report via the CROSS scheme will do so confidentially and will help to bring about beneficial changes for the industry, more information can be found at the Structural Safety website.
Chairman of the Crossrail project, Terry Morgan, has been awarded a knighthood as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016. As well as the knighthood, the construction industry also received a CBE for property developer and former crane owner Martin Ainscough in the honours list. Sir Terry Morgan started his career as a craft apprentice for Lucas Girling and was knighted for his service to UK infrastructure, skills and employment. He was appointed as Chairman of Crossrail in 2009 and was last year chosen to be chair of the HS2 College governing body. 2015 also saw him appointed by the Government to head the development of its strategy for transport infrastructure skills. Patrick McLoughlin, Transport Secretary, said that he was pleased to see Mr Morgan receive such a prestigious honour for all his excellent work in helping to develop the Government’s strategy for transport infrastructure skills as well as delivering the Crossrail scheme. He added that by putting the development of engineering skills at the centre of the Crossrail project, he has been able to show that the delivery of major infrastructure projects within budget and on time and skills investment go together. Having been an apprentice at the start of his career, Sir Terry has been able to inspire a new generation of apprentices and encourage more young people and women into this crucial industry, regardless of their aspirations and background. Mr McLoughlin added that Sir Terry has lead his peers throughout the construction sector and an ongoing champion of vocational skills. Mr Ainscough built up the UK’s biggest crane hire firm with his brothers before selling it almost 10 years ago for £255 million. The award of a CBE was given for his charity work through the ‘Martin & Judith Ainscough Charity Trust.’ Stephen Huntington, Chief Executive and Chairman of HR Wallingford, was also awarded an OBE for his services to engineering and environmental hydraulics.
Domestic gas appliances in buildings with low ventilation rates have been linked to potential concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), according to the latest report. The investigation has been carried out by the Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers and the Gas Safety Trust, undertaken by the Health & Safety Executive’s Health and Safety Laboratory. The study tested four different domestic gas appliances: a standard gas fire which requires a flue, a portable cabinet heater, a wall-mounted flueless gas fire and a four ring hob single oven gas cooker. They concluded that there was no increased CO poisoning risk linked directly to low ventilation levels, as long as the appliances were installed correctly to the recommended instructions of the manufacturer and are then maintained correctly. However, the report did outline a number of areas that need further work to be undertaken, for example the impact of poorly maintained appliances, or the dangers of using alternative heating fuels like wood or different solid fuels. Although the investigation primarily focused on CO concentrations, they also found increased emissions of carbon dioxide from gas appliances which may also result in more research being conducted in the area. Chris Bielby, Chairman of GST, said that the report backs up the Gas Safety Trust’s view that customers must make sure their gas appliances are installed properly, serviced regularly and used appropriately in line with the instructions of the manufacturers. He added that they also recommend using audible CO alarms that are tested to the European standard EN 50291 as a further line of defence. Mr Bielby also said that there is a requirement for more investigations to be carried out in the field of fossil fuels and that the Gas Safety Trust is interested in receiving research propositions from applicants who are suitably qualified. IGEM’s Ian McCluskey said that this study once again proves that the correct standards should always be met.
National social enterprise and procurement organisation Fusion21 has made the shortlist in the Chartered Institute of Procurement (CIPS) Supply Management Awards 2016. Announced as a finalist in the ‘Best Contribution to the Reputation of Procurement’ category, Fusion21 is one of two organisations nominated for the award – which recognises procurement activities that contribute to the public good. These prestigious awards are respected as a benchmark for excellence, and honour UK organisations and individuals working within the procurement and supply chain industry. Fusion21 has a sustainable business model which complies with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 and enables social value through the procurement process. Members include registered providers, local authorities, education providers and the NHS. Dave Neilson, Chief Executive at Fusion21, said: “The CIPS Supply Management Awards recognise best practice in the industry – competition is tough and it’s fantastic to be nominated alongside big brands working within the private and public sectors. “As a national social enterprise we support public sector organisations to deliver efficiencies, and create social value within local communities. Our approach to procurement leads to a variety of positive social outcomes – from job creation and tackling unemployment, to reducing reoffending and supporting wider community regeneration.” Fusion21 has generated around £56 million of community impact across the country, and created more than 2,500 jobs. Earlier this year, the social enterprise won the ‘Driving Value for Money’ category in the first Cabinet Office Social Value Awards. CIPS Supply Management Award finalists will be announced at a ceremony in London on 14 September, 2016.
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned that apprenticeship schemes are to become endangered due to uncertainty regarding the new UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy for training. FMB Scotland has said that unless the Scottish government makes a commitment to ring fence the new training Levy, then the growth of apprentice schemes in Scotland will rapidly decrease. In 2015/16 the number of young people being enrolled into apprenticeship schemes surpassed its 25,000 target, with 25,818 apprentices starting. The Scottish government has pledged to raise the apprenticeship target to 30,000 in the next four years. In 2015/16, the number of apprentices starting their courses aged 16 to 24 was 79%, while the amount of starters at level three and above went up by 1% to 65%. More than 30% of Scottish apprenticeship starts were in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) frameworks, while 19% were specifically geared towards learning skills in the construction industry. 59% of apprenticeship starters were men, with 41% women. The figures were published by Skills Development Scotland (SDS). In response to the statistics, FMB Scotland Director, Gordon Nelson, said that while the rise in apprenticeship numbers makes for positive reading, the employment outcomes and quality of the schemes should be the most important consideration. He added that there are now concerns that the positive work could be undone if the Scottish government chooses not to re-invest funds raised by the new UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy. Mr Nelson said that there is a lack of direction from leaders in terms of showing how the Levy will be carried out in Scotland. The SDS report figures relate to modern apprenticeships that have a funding contribution from the public which has been administered by the SDS for the Scottish government. The latest ‘State of Trade’ survey by the FMB shows that almost half of SME employers are finding it hard to recruit carpenters, while more than a third are struggling to source plumbers.
Property Butler has announced the launch of a new conveyancing and concierge service for estate agents. Part of Sort Limited, the firm revealed the proposition which is geared towards putting the estate agent in a powerful position by providing reasonable conveyancing services in the early stages of the purchase process. The newly introduced service will make sure that clients are correctly represented by conveyancers from the very start of the house buying process. Property Butler, powered by SoftRefer, will provide agencies with a white labelled online portal to a select conveyancing panel. The new service will mean that estate agency advisers will be able to produce quotes accurate to the last penny, give online instructions and have the chance to access progress reports at any time of any day through their smartphone or tablet app or desktop. Property Butler will also offer a Fee Guard which will be free for clients to use and gives them peace of mind in terms of the upfront fees paid when purchasing a property. The Fee Guard system will cover disbursement costs for any unforeseen event up to a £1,500 value. Also on offer is the Concierge Service which will provide estate agencies with a bespoke service enabling them to pass referrals and allow the Property Butler team to make the most of the available opportunities. Tim Price will run the new service and he boasts an impressive estate agency career spanning 25 years, along with property market work with Legal & General and Parkers. He has also provided the industry with key ancillary services through The Live Organisation and ONN Financial. Mr Price commented that one of the most important parts of any property transaction is conveyancing, although this is historically slow with insufficient communication to customers from estate agents, resulting in poor sales pipeline control. He believe that this is why the Property Butler will strongly appeal to estate agents.
777 Group – Best Practice Under Pressure (The Following is a Promoted Article) The demolition sector has undergone major transformation in the last 20 years; with increasingly demanding standards in regards to anything from health and safety to rates of recycling, as well as advances in technology, those unwilling or unable to evolve run the risk of falling by the wayside. At the forefront of innovation, 777 Group exemplifies where the sector ought to be and takes the idea of best of practice to the next level. Founded in 1964, and with over 50 years’ experience, 777 Group’s ambition always remains to improve transparency and working practices within the demolition works sector. 777 has stayed true to its ethics of responsibility and currently stands as one of the UK’s leading demolition and environmental specialists. With adjoining divisions dedicated to recycling and health and safety, the firm stands as one-stop-shop in all aspects of deconstruction and, as such, it continues to attract a wide variety of clients in the commercial, industrial, retail and leisure and residential property sectors. Whilst the ability to undertake all works and thereby financially de-risk a project is undoubtedly compelling for clients, The 777 end-to-end service also allows greater control over a project’s realisation and, specifically, how health and safety as well as environmental impact are managed. Health and Safety has been a key area of investment for the firm and something which Mike Pearce, Managing Director of 777 Group, stresses is its “number one priority”. As well as putting in place stringent health and safety policies on-site, adequate training has been crucial to maintaining such an ethic. As Mike explains: “We have a very progressive attitude to ensuring staff are suitably qualified; for example, all our labourers, operatives and supervisors are all enrolled in the NDTG qualification scheme. Part of our ability to ensure contracts are fulfilled to the highest standards is based on giving staff the best training available. Failure to do so would not be a consideration.” As a further measure of assurance for clients, 777 Demolition is also an accredited member of a horde of health and safety specific associations, including: Constructionline, Achilles, NFDC, ARCA, the British Safety Council (BSC) and Worksafe Contractor to name a few. Whilst each has a significant role to play in ensuring standards of safe working practice are maintained and continually improved, Mike Pearce pinpoints membership with CHAS as crucial for both effective health and safety management and business prosperity. Indeed, in order to tender for business with many of the company’s clients, our CHAS accreditation has been a pre-requisite and thus sustaining association membership is a means of remaining competitive. All projects require high standards of H&S but one particular project that springs to mind which required strong health and safety certification was the demolition of the IMAX complex in Bournemouth. Located on the town’s sea front in a busy retail and leisure district, the demolition project required attention and diligence from the outset so as not to present risk to either the neighbouring properties or the passing public. And having acquired an infamy with residents owing to its gargantuan size eclipsing the bay from view, locals were in full throng as 777 Demolition’s giant, high-reach demolition rig arrived on site and work commenced. Maintain absolute control throughout, the firm managed to carry out all works within the building’s original footprint –employing ring-fenced, manned access system of entry to mitigate risk to the public. In spite of the physical limitations of the site, 777 was nonetheless able to conduct waste management in much the same way as any project, as Mike Pearce highlights: “By carefully planning the process of deconstruction we were able to safely demolish the building and ensure material was segregated in a timely and efficient fashion. Felled material was separated and stockpiled by a 30 tonne excavator equipped with a rotating grab attachment. In all, some 13,500t of waste was separated and removed from the site with 3000t of steel and 8000t of concrete successfully recycled. Recycling rates exceeded 97% despite the restrictive nature of the site.” As becomes clear, 777 Group is not just favoured for its leading position on health and safety but furthermore, its capability when it comes to recycling and environmentalism. As support for greener methods of development (and demolition) increases, the firm’s attention to recycling becomes an ever greater asset for clients and some now even demand it. Doing more than simply meeting requirement however, 777 has proven it is capable of exceeding expectations in every respect – including rates of recycling. Following initial assessment and the identification of waste streams, the company puts in place a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) to run concurrently with health and safety procedure as well as time and cost schedules. Abiding by each, 777 delivers projects on time, on budget, to specification and with strong values of health and safety and environmentalism. Delivering high-value, high quality workmanship on some of the most ambitious demolition projects throughout the UK of recent years, the 777 Group continues to rise in stature within the industry. With well-founded growth ambitions for 2016 and beyond, and with express commitment to industry standards as well as acuity when it comes to innovation, the firm will doubtless remain strides ahead of the competition for years to come.
Worcester, Bosch Group has announced its winners of this year’s Environment 2020 Awards ceremony. The annual event, which was first established in 2000, recognises the best practice in the industry and celebrates the work of those who have showed a commitment to recommending hot water technologies and energy efficient heating over the past year. Across the seven installation categories, the firm has received hundreds of entries, with the winners presented with their prizes at the prestigious ceremony in Stanbrook Abbey, Worcestershire. Presenting the awards were special guests from the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering, Roger Webb and Paul Williams. Among the winners were Lee Hatch, of LH Gas Hertfordshire (Greenstar gas-fired boiler installation), Jamie Sinclair, of SJS Plumbing & Heating Hertfordshire (Greenstar oil-fired boiler installation) and Nick Critchley, of Radiant Heating Solutions Lincolnshire (Renewables installation). Worcester’s E2020 awards also recognised a group of environmentally aware young people aged up to 16 through an art design competition. The competition aims to reward exceptional artwork inspired to combat climate change and improve energy efficiency. The winners of this year’s competition were 10 year old Harry Stone from Bristol, five year old Zaki Rynne from Hampshire and 17 year old Niamh Ni Iceadha from Dublin. All of the winners were awarded £500 in leisure and shopping vouchers for their exciting works of art. Chief Executive Officer at Worcester, Carl Arntzen, said that as always it was a pleasure for the company to hold the award ceremony and that he gives thanks to all those who entered, with special congratulations to all the worthy winners. He said that Worcester continues to be a manufacturer inspired by having so many installers who are already trying to reinforce the commitment of the industry to the protection of the earth’s valuable resources. CIPHE President, Paul Williams, said they are always looking to highlight the excellent work carried out every year by heating and plumbing engineers.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced the timeline for redesigning the construction industry levy. CITB says it will consult with employers in the construction sector to discuss how its levy could work in relation to the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy. As planned, the Consensus process will take place next year, which will see a full consultation with a variety of employers from the industry to discuss the CITB Levy. The industry asked for this timetable to make sure that all employers in the construction industry will be able to submit their views on how the CITB Levy should be modified for a potential new Levy Order in the next two years, as well as considering the CITB support that this could fund. Before the formal Levy consultation, CITB will meet employers to discuss the best way the organisation can meet their needs. One of the ways to be considered is making the existing grants scheme more accessible and relevant, especially for smaller businesses. CITB is also set to re-establish the Levy Working Party, which will be made up of representatives from all around the construction industry. The meeting will see the firms come up with different possibilities for a possible new CITB Industry Levy. Included in the working party is CITB Board Member Diana Graham, Ian Rogers from the Scottish Decorators’ Federation and Hannah Warburton from Laing O’Rourke. For 2017 only, the timeline will require a temporary transition agreement in order to lessen the impact of the CITB Levy and the Apprenticeship Levy on firms. This is due to the fact that organisations with a payroll in excess of £3 million will be required to pay both levies next year. However, CITB insists it will assist these companies in claiming back a significant proportion of their CITB Levy contribution through enhanced funding for the training they do.
