ACE opposes government changes to industry engagement

Commenting on today's announcement that the chief construction adviser position is to abolished and the Construction Leadership Council is to be reformed, Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), said:

"We are disappointed to see the government take this action, and extremely concerned that it was taken with a thorough lack of consultation with the industry. It represents a backward step at a time when collaboration between industry and government is essential as we seek to deliver on a massive programme of investment. The positon of chief construction adviser provides a key single point of contact between our sector, ministers, and officials and is a vital line of communication that has highlighted blockages, acted as a flow point for information, and been a source of expertise."

Expressing similar concerns as regards the reconstitution of the Construction Leadership Council, Dr Ogunshakin said:

"With this reform and the reduction in the numbers and types of representatives the government risks losing the pan-industry outlook the CLC provides. Each client, contractor, consultant, SME and representative body has different experiences across the sector and to limit their involvement will reduce the scope for sharing best practice, highlighting concerns in the delivery process, and narrow the breadth of information flowing to and from industry to government.

ACE urges the government to rethink these reforms, to consult with the whole industry about the proper way to collaborate, and ensure the bodies tasked with maintaining the dialogue are fit for purpose. With the scale of the investment programmes we will be seeing in the coming years, it will be in everyone's interest to ensure we get it right!"

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Notes to Editors

About ACE
• As the leading business association in the sector, ACE represents the interests of professional consultancies and engineering companies large and small in the UK. Many of our member companies have gained international recognition and acclaim and employ over 250,000 staff worldwide

• ACE members are at the heart of delivering, maintaining and upgrading our buildings, structures and infrastructure. They provide specialist services to a diverse range of sectors including water, transportation, housing and energy.

• The ACE membership acts as the bridge between engineering consultants who make an estimated contribution of £15bn to the nation's economy and the wider construction market contributing a further £90bn.

For further information please contact ACE Group Communications Manager, Andrea Riding on ariding@acenet.co.uk or 020 7202 0255