All articles by Sarah Richardson 鈥� Page 13
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NewsCouncil tax lottery: The trouble with local authorities
Local housebuilders provide local jobs and local homes for local people. So why are local authorities going out of their way to make life painful for them? Take council tax for example
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NewsCollege schemes planned to cost double 拢300m fund
Swingeing cuts on the cards as 13 colleges find themselves 拢300m short of what they asked for
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NewsBovis boss: government spending lifeline is failing
Chief executive Pollard says spending having little effect as he announces restructuring and redundancies
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News
TrustMark begs for state funding
The chief executive of TrustMark, the scheme launched four years ago to protect consumers against cowboy builders, has appealed to the government for more funding to keep the initiative afloat during the recession
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FeaturesTrustMark: a 拢22k tale of horror
This is the story of a man who gave a TrustMark-registered firm 拢22k to renovate his home. What he got for his money was two weeks鈥� worth of work, three years of hell and a wrecked house. But how did the builder keep its reassuring logo?
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Comment
Bovis restructure: The recession's wake up call
Searching for a silver lining to recession for construction isn't easy. But there's growing evidence that, dire as the industry's current situation may be, the tough conditions are providing parts of the industry, just like the financial sector, with a much needed wake up call.Bovis Lend Lease's business overhaul, announced ...
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NewsLeadbitter looks set for buyout as rivals shun sale
Major contractors express little interest in Oxford firm 鈥� with the exception of French giant Bouygues
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NewsKier set to lose 拢6m on hotel in Liverpool One scheme
拢60m Hilton hotel scheme on 拢1bn development to open six months after March deadline
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FeaturesGain and pain: the sting in the tail of Darling's Budget
Public spending on construction is about the only thing keeping the industry going, but the Budget made it clear that this will slow down, and another 拢1.5bn a year will have to be made in 鈥榚fficiency savings鈥�. The question is: how?
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NewsStalled colleges could be ineligible for 拢300m fund
Rescue package may rule out schemes that stood down supply chains when they were put on hold
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CommentSending out an SOS
When Alistair Darling delivered his pre-Budget report in November, most firms were hoping that it would launch a lifeboat they could clamber aboard to wait out the worst of the recession
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NewsSenior director leaves Costain
Costain鈥檚 commercial director has left the company 鈥渂y mutual agreement鈥�
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NewsIt was meant to be a 拢4bn refuge from recession
So how did a government programme to renew further education colleges blow its budget by 150%, putting 144 schemes and 40,000 jobs at risk?
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FeaturesPeter Mandelson: survival specialist
Few politicians know more about making it through tough times than Peter Mandelson. Now it鈥檚 his job to help Britain鈥檚 businesses do the same
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FeaturesMarkets: your best bets
The recession is long, resources are short and bidding is always a gamble. So which sectors should you have a punt on? Sarah Richardson and Emily Wright run an eye over the runners and riders
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NewsStalled college programme could cost 拢16bn to finish
Independent review condemns Learning and Skills Council for 鈥榙elay and confusion鈥�
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拢300m PFI schools rescue fund to double
The European Investment Bank is set to double the 拢300m rescue fund it has made available to help speed up schools projects
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News40,000 jobs at risk as delay to colleges drags into autumn
LSC admits none of the 144 schemes on hold will be kickstarted by April programme review
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FeaturesGovernment spending: what Gordon Brown won't be doing for you
Delays to parts of the Learning and Skills Council鈥檚 拢5bn college building programme could stretch for up to a year
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FeaturesPrimary capital programme: Little marvels
Primary schools are often small projects, but with 拢7bn-worth in the pipeline, they may be a lifeline for the industry鈥檚 SMEs