Construction awaits impact of Burnham’s devolution revolution

CIOB welcomed this focus from Burnham, saying a focus on devolving skills funding and local decisionmaking would improve local decisionmaking.

CIOB chief executive Victoria Hills said: “There has long been a strong case for devolving more skills funding and decisionmaking to combined and local authorities, as well as empowering mayors to work closer with local employers, educators and trainers to tackle local skills gaps. Regional leaders are best placed to understand local demand and the skills required to deliver priorities like retrofitting, housing and infrastructure.”

However, they warned that it was crucial that further devolution from the former Manchester mayor was properly implemented.

Head of policy and public affairs UK David Barnes said it risked failure without the “right resources, expertise and importantly accountability”. “These need to go hand in hand to make it successful,” he said.

Barnes said recent attempts by the government to tackle the crisis in construction skills by increasing technical training places had struggled due to a shortage of capacity and expertise. He said: “Have we got enough teachers that have the skills and competence to do this training? If they’re people who have worked in the construction industry, why would they go into it? They’ll probably earn more money in the construction industry because the pay [in training and teaching] is poor.”

Burnham also announcement a ministerial reshuffle in the days after taking up his post. For ministerial posts covering key policy areas for construction industry there are a mixture of new and existing faces with a new construction minister in post – Blair McDougall – mixed with some relatively familiar faces. 

Matt Pennycook remains housing minister and Baroness Smith continuing to hold the skills portfolio. It is unclear who holds the brief for safety – this is likely to be either Florence Eshalomi or Sally Jameson.

CIOB’s Barnes said the clearest change since Burnham had started was “in tone” rather than in policy to date but that the industry would have a better picture of his longer terms plans and more detailed policy plans and proposals when the Budget is announced on 28 October.

He added that the industry was facing significant legislation in the coming months and years, from bills covering housing and payments to a new strategy impacting construction professionals.

Before Burnham became prime minister, industry leaders urged him to commit to the government’s 10-year infrastructure plan. 

In an open letter signed by 28 leading built environment bodies and companies, including CIOB, the sector warned “now is not the time to go back to square one”, and that infrastructure investment is “key to meeting many of the UK’s challenges”.