Government infrastructure policy

The Centre for Construction Innovation is holding an event for those working in the construction industry to put forward their views on the Government's infrastructure policy.

CCI said the strategy issued at the end of May was designed to exploit the potential for public procurement of construction and infrastructure projects to drive growth.

This strategy aims to provide a profound change in the relationship between public authorities and the construction industry to ensure the Government consistently gets a good deal and the country gets the social and economic infrastructure it needs for the long-term.

Infrastructure UK, a unit of the Treasury, is charged with implementing government strategy regarding economic infrastructure. IUK have already set out a detailed report on how to reduce infrastructure construction costs by £2-£3bn each year. This report is now supplemented by a further publication, the recently published Implementation Plan.

These measures are focused on economic infrastructure; mainly civil engineering works in the water, waste, transport, energy and telecommunications sectors.

The Implementation Plan has six component workstreams for government and industry:

• create better visibility and certainty of the infrastructure investment pipeline
• implement effective governance of projects and programmes, particularly in the public sector
• instil greater discipline in the commissioning of projects and programmes
• develop smarter ways to use competition by improving procurement
• create an environment that encourages cost effective delivery solutions
• infrastructure data

The discussion will be led by:

Richard Coackley – currently ICE senior vice-president and also director of energy development for URS Scott Wilson and will become the 147th ICE president in November. ICE have provided the support and Reference Group in aid of the IUK investigations.

Prof Peter McDermott, School of the Built Environment and Centre for Construction Innovation, University of Salford – McDermott is a member of the Reference Group for the IUK investigations.

Nick Ogden – A partner in the infrastructure projects team at McGrigors. He specialises in structuring and negotiating all forms of corporate and contractual joint ventures; PPPs and long term partnering arrangements; outsourcings; and restructuring/refinancing PFI/PPP projects.

Registration:

To reserve a place at this free event email Emma Looskin at emma.looskin@ccinw.com

5.30pm until 7.30pm.