Change of Government ??

30th September 2009 - 4:35 pm - by julian smallshaw

With the current round of party political conferences, and the sense of a general election campaign beginning for the majors, does anyone feel that a change of government would make a difference to the state of the construction industry?

Replies: 3

Comments

Michael I Hardy
1 Oct 2009 - 08:24

Julian - I suspect whichever party is in power next & I think most of know which one it won't be, they (or we) all have huge debts to pay off so I suspect there will be no appreciable increase in overall spending on the construction industry for some time yet. Having said that there will always be local "hot spots" such as the work for the Olympic games etc.
By the way are you still in ADZ?

Martin Millmore
8 Oct 2009 - 08:07

The construction industry is on its back THUS all associated industries inc. solicitors, surveyors, dimension stone and aggregate producers, timber merchants, plumbers, electricians etc. etc. are also struggling to survive. All these associated industries (including LPA planning officers) are under threat. As I understand matters this makes up some 20% of the UK workforce - Thus, approx. 1 fifth of the UK workforce is dependent upon some government intervention that "kickstarts" the building industry - that must mean principally social and low-cost housing via the Housing Associations, state-of-the-art recycling centres, EfW plant, proper maintenance of our roads, sewers and general infrastructure, and general good housekeeping, PLUS minimisation of government red-tape including in particular the costs and time associated with getting planning permission. We definitely need a rapid and sustained boost to the construction industry, urgent repairs to our crumbling roads etc. whomsoever is in government.

Quarry - Ops
21 Jan 2010 - 09:54

I believe that the Tories have at least made some noises about reintroducing some common sense (and personal responsibility for actions? Let's hope so!) into Health and Safety at Work legislation/enforcement, which, in my opinion, is desperately needed, adn overdue.