30 September 2005
The construction industry this week issued a surprising call for more targets and red tape as representatives called attention to the slow rate of progress on public sector building projects.
The Construction Products Association's report, Achievable targets – is the government delivering?, claims the government is likely to miss key targets for improving public buildings and transport infrastructure. Social housing and schools were singled out as areas of particular concern.
The association's chief executive, Michael Ankers, said missed targets and a failure to set new ones undermined confidence in the construction industry.
'Government must set clear output targets for investment programmes where none exist, set interim targets and introduce an effective system for monitoring and reporting progress towards their delivery,' he said.
'We also think the government should work more closely with the construction industry to ensure effective delivery of its programme, especially in speeding up the Private Finance Initiative.'
Ankers added that, despite having the fourth largest economy in the world, the UK was stuck at the bottom of the European league for the percentage of GDP invested in construction, spending only 7% compared with an average of 12%.
The September 28 report predicts that the target to refurbish or rebuild 380 secondary schools by April 2008 is unlikely to be met as no work has started on any site, although the first areas were selected 18 months ago.
There are also concerns about the rate of social housing construction and renovation. The association called on the government to publish regular information on the number of social and affordable homes being planned and to set new targets for their construction. It also wants a new target to be set for reducing the council house repairs backlog.
The report earned the endorsement of CBI director general Sir Digby Jones. 'This publication provides a valuable progress report on public sector construction, although its findings are mostly disappointing,' he said.
'Government has not been short on ambition but has failed to meet too many of its own targets, has failed to monitor progress, and has failed to demonstrate whether the billions already spent have been good-value investments.'
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