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Bill Bolsover, chair of Aggregate Industries, has been chosen as the new chair of the Strategic Forum for Construction.

Bolsover, who until last month was chair of the Construction Products Association, took over as the chair of the forum from Lord Martin O鈥橬eill after a meeting held last week.

The development follows months of discussion between industry leaders about reforming the Strategic Forum to become 鈥渟ingle voice鈥� for construction to speak to government.

the UK Contractors Group, which represents over 30 of the UK鈥檚 main contractors, has distanced itself from the process by making it clear it would not support any new body that duplicated the work of the CBI Construction Council, effectively killing hopes of a 鈥渟ingle voice鈥� body.

Bolsover himself has been an advocate of reform of the forum to get a more cohesive message to government. This year he branded the forum 鈥渁 nonsense鈥� and called the industry 鈥渉ugely immature鈥�.

Bolsover, is expected to remain in the role for anywhere between six months and year depending on what changes are made to the organisation.

Paul Morrell, the government鈥檚 outgoing chief construction advisor, said Bolsover has 鈥渓ong been an advocate of the industry getting its act together across the full breadth of the supply chain鈥�. He said case for the Strategic Forum 鈥渞emained strong鈥� but that it had 鈥減unched below its weight 鈥� at least in part because some of its members are nervous of it operating at its full potential鈥�.

He said: 鈥淚 remain optimistic that it can take this opportunity to become what it needs to become: a body that works with and through its members, including the CBI, to take possession of the industry鈥檚 whole agenda, and become a co-ordinating force for the many conversations that will always take place both within the industry and between the industry and government.鈥�

Morrell added that it was not a 鈥渂inary choice鈥� between the forum and the CBI as a means of talking to government. 

Graham Watts, chief executive of the Construction Industry Council, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e really happy Bolsover is doing the job and I think that it鈥檚 important to get back to the Strategic Forum being run by someone connected to the industry 鈥� no disrespect to Lord O鈥橬eill.鈥�