Construction鈥檚 disparate yet oddly indistinguishable trade bodies have, as noted by James Wates some years ago, long borne a worrying resemblance to Monty Python鈥檚 Judean People鈥檚 Front, the People鈥檚 Front of Judea and the Judean Popular People鈥檚 Front, at least in the eyes of Whitehall

So it was a welcome development to see the formation of the UK Contractors Group and a CBI Construction Council in January. The move towards improved dialogue got even better with the appointment of Paul Morrell (pictured) as chief construction adviser in November 鈥� but then the RICS had to go and spoil the party by announcing that it was withdrawing from the Construction Industry Council 鈥� although it now seems to be having second thoughts. In another trade-body-related blow, 黑洞社区 revealed in October that the now-defunct Construction Confederation had a 拢20m pensions deficit 鈥� half the sum needed to cover its obligations to its 500 members.

Topics

Review 2009