CEWales E Bulletin December 2021
My very first thought when writing our last newsletter of 2021 is this, thanks! Thank you for your continued support. Thank you for your commitment to the Constructing Excellence movement and enabling us to continue to lead sectoral transformation to improve outcomes, behaviours, and values.
CEWales has delivered 81 seminars and workshops, backed pioneering projects throughout Wales, supported Welsh Government on increasing awareness of important policy throughout the supply chain, delivered inspiring Active Travel Training, showcased best practice through our Exemplar programme and provoked debate – all geared towards improving the business of construction in Wales.
The year hasn’t been without its challenges – for you and for us. It’s not comparable to operational and supply issues but we’ve been obliged to reschedule face-to-face events and our in-person awards celebration. That’s frustrating because it is not as easy to share best practice virtually.
We leave 2021 with optimism however, with our 2022 CEW Awards being held in the Celtic Manor, plans for a Welsh Construction Summit and exciting developments on increasing membership value.
We have seen massive developments on the drive to Net Zero within the sector particularly through the Optimised Retrofit programme. We have unanswered questions on UNNOS – the National publicly owned Construction Company. We welcome the sight of a published business plan, a roadmap of how when and by whom this will be taken forward and delivered; timescales, turnover forecasts, operating principles, funding arrangements and corporate governance, including perspicacity in its forecasted cost per unit and P&L performance, and any provision for future dividend returns to the Welsh taxpayer. And question if this can all be achieved within three years.
Building Safety reform will beone of the key elements in the CEWales programme of work as we need to drive this fast for real improvements. However, we really need to understand the reasons why it is currently not working and invest to address those in reality as opposed to developing paper process and procedures that are ignored.
Through the CEWales’ Procurement Steering Group, we have fed in industry thoughts on a Welsh Procurement Centre of Excellence, the major desire is to see it being specifically set up for the Built Environment and Infrastructure sector.
In essence we are all in this together. Let us drive criticism and innovation as an opportunity to advance change, not an opposition to it. But to build and maintain the momentum needed to improve our industry we need more of you working together. If you’re not a current member please join us HERE.
We wish you all a Happy Christmas and prosperous New year!