ConstructionSkills Welcomes Localism Bill

CITB-ConstructionSkills Chief Executive Mark Farrar has urged the Government to ensure that construction plays a fundamental part in developing the localism agenda.

The Government's flagship Localism Bill went through its second reading in the House of Commons – a further step towards the achieving its 'Big Society' vision to move power away from central government into the hands of local communities, businesses and civic leaders for local economic growth and job creation. New planning powers around house-building, tax incentives for small businesses, powers for people to decide on how their neighbourhoods will look and develop will complement other key reforms such as the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships and funding arrangements under the Regional Growth Fund as Government attempts to re-focus the UK economy on a leaner, greener model of growth, driven by local needs and aspirations.

Commenting on the Bill, Mark Farrar said: "Construction and the Built Environment will be at the heart of growth and job creation in local communities across the UK. As the range of new reforms under the localism agenda are introduced, collaboration between local authorities and construction businesses must be fostered to support long term growth and sustainable jobs. This, and support for associated skills needs, will be instrumental to a flourishing future economy for UK plc and its local communities.

"We are urging Government to use our local sector knowledge, such as our economic models and job forecasts, to make sure that training is aligned to the needs of our sector across the local boundaries. Our focus is to ensure that our sector does not get left behind and we are encouraging businesses to support us in driving the localism agenda. LEPs will be responsible for driving economic growth in their areas, in replace of regional development agencies, so to ensure a construction employer is appointed to the board of each LEP is one of our main goals."

The reading was preceded by the unveiling of a proposed Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Capacity Fund which would complement the existing £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund. Announced by David Cameron and Lord Heseltine, Chairman of the advisory board for the Regional Growth Fund on 7 January, this fund will be focussed on supporting LEPs in understanding the issues facing businesses in their respective areas, and provide support for projects and programmes with potential for economic growth and the creation of new jobs.

Farrar added: "The proposal for a new Capacity Fund would be good news to new business-led LEPs and local construction firms. At CITB-ConstructionSkills we are continually campaigning for the right skills, in the right place, at the right time. In addition to our vast amount of knowledge that can help Government and LEPs predict future employment capacity and training requirements across boundaries, we are working to forge links between our sector and local communities."

A national LEP summit on growth and competitiveness designed to bring together LEP Chairs from across the country to prioritise action to stimulate growth at a regional level will take place in the Spring. CITB-ConstructionSkills will be in attendance to ensure that the views and of the Construction industry are heard, and to re-affirm the need to link local and national skills needs together to boost consistent delivery across the UK.

The Localism Bill will now move for consideration in public bill committee, and will be concluded by 10 March.