HVCA president hopes for success of Construction Strategy
The UK must adopt the Government’s proposed Construction Strategy ‘enthusiastically and unequivocally if it is to have any prospect of meeting the challenging carbon-reduction targets to which it is already committed,’ HVCA president Bob Shelley has warned.
He told an audience of leading figures in the industry, ‘I am delighted that this potentially revolutionary document contains many recommendations for which the specialist engineering sector has been lobbying for as long as most of us can remember — improved integration across the supply chain, standard forms of pre-qualification, the elimination of wasteful processes and a fair payment regime for all.’
‘However, I do feel the need to point out that the really hard work remains to be done — the delivery of these concepts, the turning of the vision into reality.
‘The fact is that we have had our hopes raised all too often in the past by reports containing fine, brave words which in the event — to quote William Shakespeare [the event was held in Shakespeare’s Globe in London] soon “lost the name of action”.’
‘This time, though,’ Mr Shelley said, ‘there is at least one additional driver for change,’ referring to the Construction Strategy document published by the Cabinet Office in May 2011.
Mr Shelley said that he drew a great deal of reassurance from the fact that the new Construction Board, which will chair the process, will oversee the delivery process, will be chaired by the Government’s chief construction adviser Paul Morrell.
He said, ‘Since his appointment to what was then a new position almost two years ago, Paul has demonstrated not only a deep understanding of the construction process but also a welcome readiness to pay heed to the views of all industry interests and to take these into account when reaching his measured, carefully considered conclusions.’
Finally, Bob Shelley expressed his hope that the Construction Strategy document can ‘provide the blueprint for a programme of root-and-branch reform that is both sorely needed and overdue.’
