Government cut Chief Construction Adviser post

Author: Ross CIMCIG

The Government have decided to get rid of the Chief Construction Adviser post from November, when the current incumbent, Peter Hansford, finishes his contract.

This means the industry will once again be without a senior link to Government, and remains without a single minister.

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) has announced the restructuring of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), the scrapping of the Council's Delivery Group, and the abolition of the role of Government’s Chief Construction Advisor (CCA).

BIS Ministers and officials have placed the future emphasis on dialogue with industry, rather than working in partnership, which was the strapline to the Industrial Strategy (Construction 2025). The Construction Industry Council (CIC), which represents 46 leading professional organisations working in all sectors that create and maintain the built environment, has welcomed the renewed emphasis on dialogue but expressed disappointment at the Government’s decision to discontinue the role of the Chief Construction Adviser.

Tony Burton, CIC Chairman, a former member of the CLC and senior partner at Gardiner & Theobald is disappointed at the lack of dialogue with industry in arriving at these decisions. He said: “It is a pity that this announcement comes without meaningful consultation with industry about the proposals”, adding, “this is especially so given the industry’s unanimous support for the continuation of the Chief Construction Adviser’s role and it is a pity that this united voice has been ignored. The two CCAs in post over the past six years (Paul Morrell and Peter Hansford) have provided a key role both in terms of their advice to government about being a better client and becoming the key interface between government and the industry. CIC has supported the role throughout and we were happy to increase the level of that support since we believe that the role is so vital”.

Graham Watts, the CIC Chief Executive also emphasised the importance of the role: “The industry once had a dedicated Minister of State; but, over time, ministerial interaction with construction has greatly diminished. Some eight years ago, the appointment of a Chief Construction Officer was recommended by the Trade and Industry Select Committee and, in due course, that recommendation was accepted by government. I don’t see any circumstances that have changed to negate the need for the role”.

He has argued that industry could take responsibility for funding the role; a point emphasised by Sean Tompkins, the Chief Executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, who said: “The united industry worked hard to establish a single point of contact through the Chief Construction Adviser and has ensured that two good people have filled the post effectively over the past six years. The role is still required and – if this is an issue of cost – the leading members of CIC would be willing to make the
necessary contribution to keep this important post which combines both expert adviser to Ministers and the highest representative of industry".

A new smaller CLC will be established comprising individuals rather than leaders of the main representative bodies, although the Strategic Forum for Construction (of which the CIC is a founder member) has been offered one seat on the new committee, currently with a condition that it be a representative from the manufacturing sector.

The CIC Chairman has expressed disappointment at the move away from representative bodies, which he feels is the only plausible arrangement in such a diverse and huge industry, and the apparent lack of a professional services voice on the new CLC. “The government has often asked for industry to speak with a single voice but it appears itself now to be working against that objective. The CLC – as now constituted – is effectively just one more body, not a unification of the various sector organisations, which means that the Strategic Forum for Construction now takes on an even greater significance as the industry’s united voice”.

The RIBA Chief Executive, Harry Rich, picked up on the balance of representation across the new CLC,
saying: “The Construction 2025 agenda has played a major part in helping the UK Construction sector rise to the challenge of getting Britain building. If we are to tackle the housing crisis and deliver the
infrastructure needed, it is vital that government works with the whole sector, including architects and other professional services’ providers, who coordinate, enable and drive this work. The loss of the Chief
Construction Adviser role at this crucial time will leave a significant gap in terms of drawing together the
skills of the sector. The industry needs to look at how the work streams announced will be coordinated to
avoid silos developing in the new approach. It’s therefore vital that the work of the new Construction
Leadership Council is informed by the whole of the industry and that the professional services sector has
strong representation”.

The focus of the new council is to be on "work streams" headed by council members but delivered with the support and funding of industry. “This work is already largely being led by the industry bodies who have taken forward initiatives on supply chain, payment, diversity, health and safety, procurement, BIM and so much more”, said Watts. “This work will continue to be carried out by our members, both directly, through CIC and co-ordinated by the Strategic Forum for Construction. The key issue will be aligning these initiatives with the new CLC”.