The Construction Industry and the Coming Election

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) was founded in 1988 as a representative forum for research organisations, professional bodies and specialist business association across the construction industry here in the UK. The CIC now embodies a collective membership of more than 500,000 individual professionals and over 25,000 construction consultant companies. It is deemed to be the only single body able to comment authoritatively on the diverse issues connected with construction without the constraints of any particular sector of the industry.

With a general election looming, the CIC has published an election briefing entitled “Constructing a Better Future” with key recommendation that include:

• Quality in the Built Environment – inward investment in skills needed to encourage a diverse workforce, environmentally sustainable building designs, and a commitment to safety in construction should all be included in a quality agenda which should be promoted by the next government in the UK.
• Planning for Construction – although the UK needs to build more, it also needs to build better with improvements to housing and infrastructure which will result in savings that can make a difference elsewhere. Effective strategic planning can lead to a co-ordinated development process which will drive regional prosperity and economic growth.
• Investing in Infrastructure – The UK needs to build more homes and created a sustained investment in transport that will result in economic growth for the UK as a whole. With so many old-fashioned and aging power stations here in the UK, replacement is necessary if we’re to meet EU climate change commitments and provide energy security in the future.

The CIC believes that construction is a “key engine for UK economic growth”, an integral enabling sector which will lead to an increase in jobs and prosperity throughout the economy as a whole.

Constructing a Better Future claims that the issues which affect the construction industry are also pivotal on the political front. These are issues like housing, energy prices, and the need to offer value for money whilst maintaining high standards – all of which are vital for creating a balanced economy and a prosperous future.

We’ve seen some tough times here in the UK since the beginning of the economic crisis – lean years that have led to job losses, reduction in income, company closures, etc. Most of us are looking forward to the general election being a step forward into a brighter future – a future that will lead to an improved economy, a reduction in unemployment, enhanced infrastructures and a better life for all of us.

The coming election is our chance to have our say by voting for the party which we think is best suited to deliver the better future that we all hanker for. All of us in the construction industry will be keeping a close eye on the pledges of the politicians in order to choose the ones that we think will be best able to deliver, not just for the construction industry, but for all sectors and for the British population as a whole.