CIOB looks for ‘new solutions’ as industry-backed Conservatives regain power

This morning, prime minister David Cameron is heading back to Number 10 at the head of majority government, after the Labour party failed to pick up enough English and Welsh seats to counteract a punishing poll in Scotland, and the Lib Dems were unable to rally their core vote.

While a crop of opinion polls on the eve of election that put the Conservatives almost neck-and-neck with their Labour rivals clearly misjudged the national vote, polls conducted in the industry showed that construction was more in tune with national sentiment.

Construction Manager’s own poll – in which 52% of the sample of 265 backed the Conservatives – suggested a clear preference for their policies, viewed as pro-business, investment and employment.

In a pre-election survey of 1,000 contractors, consultants and product manufacturers from the organisers of October’s UK Construction Week, 54% said that a Conservative government would be best for the industry, compared to 30% backing Labour.

And earlier this week, a poll of the Construction News “Barometer” panel of industry managers also strongly endorsed the Tories, with 73.8% saying they "best understood" the industry versus only 19.1% nominating Labour.

CM’s poll of the industry predicted a Conservative victory

In a statement, the CIOB has welcomed the news of the forthcoming administration. “The CIOB remains committed to improvements in the built environment, and welcomes the opportunity to work with the Conservative Party to ensure that the voice of industry is heard across government.

“The CIOB intends to use the first few weeks of the new government to brief the new intake of MPs on the importance of the construction industry through its Guide to the Built Environment, launched at political party conferences last year.”

Eddie Tuttle, senior policy and public affairs manager at the CIOB, said: “The quality of the built environment affects every aspect of society. This presents the industry with a number of challenges, and a number of opportunities, to deliver real, long-lasting change. We are committed to reducing the costs of project delivery, and recognise the importance of a more sustainable and more transparent industry.

“The CIOB is committed to improving the image of the construction industry and seeks, in conjunction with government, to focus on delivering change. Over the course of this parliament we will support policy makers on:

• boosting the construction workforce and addressing the skills shortage – through greater support for apprenticeships, training and mentoring schemes;
• greater recognition of the strategic importance of the construction industry and, at 6.3% of GDP, a greater consideration of the contribution that construction makes to the economy;
• a continued investment in infrastructure and an increase in the number of new builds currently being built. We hope to see demand meet supply and recommend that 200,000 new builds are built, at the very least, annually – with an added emphasis on quality;
• the market being stimulated with smarter regulation in the wake of fewer minimum standards;
• greater investment in R&D and digital technologies, such as BIM;
• a commitment to working closely with industry on issues such as energy efficiency, and a consideration of greater incentives for SMEs to invest in more sustainable practices.

“The CIOB will be drawing further attention to these issues through its engagement with stakeholders and our attendance at future party conferences. We welcome the opportunity to discuss challenges facing the construction industry and look forward to finding solutions with the new government.”

Meanwhile, the National Federation of Builders also hopes that the new government will take action on boosting housing delivery to tackle the current shortfall of 245,000 homes a year, as well as using public procurement more efficiently and cost effectively, and unlocking investment and facilitating access to finance for construction firms.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “Business dislikes uncertainty. My hope is that with a majority government, the lack of confidence that affected pre-election construction output will dissipate. Construction can then, once again, be a key driver of economic growth.”