Like so much of the UK economy, the construction sector was severely disrupted by the impact of COVID-19 throughout 2020 and now faces a challenging recovery. Although classed as an essential service, the immediate reaction to the first lockdown was for contractors to close sites, halting activity across the sector.…
Author Archives: CN Contributor
New year, new construction minister, same problem
The new year might have only just got going, but already the construction industry has a new minister. Kwasi Kwarteng was promoted to business secretary and with it Anne-Marie Trevelyan became our third construction minister in the space of just 19 working days. Yes, you read that right, nineteen working…
What are firms’ responsibilities for lone workers?
Lone-working in the construction industry has typically been the preserve of site-based staff, particularly in the infrastructure sector. The pandemic has changed this, however. The government’s call that “everyone who can work from home must do so” has meant many office workers are now working at home on their own,…
Developer to review all schemes as CEO leaves
Developer U+I has restructured its senior management team and placed all its projects under review after recording a half-year loss of more than £50m. In a major shake-up, the regeneration specialist has announced that chief executive Matthew Weiner has stepped down and been replaced by development officer Richard Upton. Chief…
Our tough new regulator will target ‘cavalier’ suppliers post-Grenfell
We all bore witness to the terrible events at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017 and we owe it to the 72 victims of that fire, bereaved families and the surviving former residents and their families to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. While we await the final…
The new hiring hurdles for recruiting EU workers
Winter is here. On 1 December 2020, the Home Office published more than 150 pieces of guidance relating to business immigration. The most important change for the construction industry is that, since 1 January 2021, all non-UK workers (apart from those from the Republic of Ireland and those who have…
Insurer: list hired kit with TER
INSURER the Mayflower Engineering Consortium is to insist clients only hire-in equipment that has first been registered with TER.Firms are starting to require hirers to register their fleets as they crack down on theft, but Mayflower is the first to demand registration of hired-in plant.Under the scheme, hirers and contractors…
Test article for App
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