The Rethinking Construction Beacon Council awards showcase how authorities have achieved best value from construction procurement. With the support of the Local Government Task Force, the Beacon Councils are spreading their best practice message more effectively. I congratulate the winners and applaud them for having the commitment to lead the change agenda in construction. I also thank all the other local authorities who submitted applications - these were of a very high quality and are fully deserving of our recognition.

Construction procurement is fundamentally important to local government. Get the construction right and you release maximum potential to deliver the excellent services which will improve the quality of life for all our citizens. I think the case studies in this Construction Manager supplement will make other authorities aware of the potential for taking up cost-effective and affordable improvements.

The interest generated by the awards is demonstrating that the Rethinking Construction message is spreading. Increasingly, contractors and sub-contractors are aware of the importance authorities attach to new ways of procuring. Issues such as whole life cost and best value rather than lowest price are now common currency. Construction procurement is now as much about repair, alteration and maintenance as it is about new build.

Central to the improvement agenda is securing the integration of the supply chain. Supply side integration has a crucial part to play in increasing quality and productivity, reducing project times, increasing cash flow efficiency and thus minimising risk. Through integrating the supply chain, we have set tough year-on-year improvement targets – reducing capital and construction time by 10%, reducing defects and accidents by 20%, and increasing productivity, profits and turnover by 10%. This is a significant prize, be you a client or a supplier.

My vision is for local authorities, indeed, all clients of construction, to deliver products that exceed expectations in terms of lifetime performance. Local authorities are in a powerful position for developing an industry that constructs world-class buildings that attract world-class businesses, and for consolidating their own economies for the good of their own local people. I urge local authorities to make the most of their unique position. With your active involvement and a collaborative approach, we can make a lasting contribution to improving the social and economic landscape in which we live, work and thrive.

Source

Construction Manager