The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) wants to engage with the newly elected mayors as they develop their strategic plans for their combined authority areas.
CIOB said it was vital that metro mayors understand the needs of the construction industry, which is essential to the delivery of devolved programmes for regeneration, housing and improvement of the local economy.
Local elections took place across England on 2 May. More than 2,600 councillors and 10 metro mayors were voted in across the country.
The elections were a significant victory for the Labour Party, which won nine of the metro mayor seats, including the three new combined authorities of the North East, York and North Yorkshire, and the East Midlands.
All the incumbent Labour metro mayors – Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester, Tracy Brabin in West Yorkshire, Steve Rotheram in Liverpool City Region, and Sadiq Khan in London – were re-elected.
In the West Midlands, Labour’s candidate beat the incumbent Andy Street by a margin of 1,500 votes.
The Tories lost almost half the council seats it previously held, with many taken over by the LibDem, Green and independent candidates. Labour secured the largest proportion of council seats that changed hands.
Construction essential to delivering mayors’ agendas
CIOB hopes that many of the planned regional projects will be awarded to firms associated with professional body memberships.
The Institute said that professional body membership would ensure companies have the necessary ethics, quality and professionalism to deliver the aims of the combined authorities.
David Barnes, acting head of policy and public affairs UK at CIOB, said: “The construction industry will continue to play an essential role in delivering the metro mayors’ priorities in the years ahead, particularly in the creation of high-quality housing and transport infrastructure, as well as more localised repair, maintenance and improvement works.
“CIOB will continue to inform the mayors of the key priorities for the sector and look forward to assisting them as they develop their localised plans.”
