Fighting forms and getting you paid on time

As the panel debate at BWF Member’s Day 2012 showed, some construction industry issues just don’t seem to go away. Fair payment and the bureaucracy of duplicating of pre-qualification questionnaires were again amongst the hot topics, but thankfully for the membership, some progress is being made.

BWF joined the National Specialist Contractors’ Council (NSCC) last year so that we could work with them on a number of issues including eliminating cash retentions and labour consuming pre-qualification forms, thus giving you more time to grow your business.

NSCC campaigns on these issues and a number of others as detailed below. Further information on how we’re working with them and the very real benefits to you will feature in future editions of the Newsletter

1. Implementing Fair Payment throughout the supply chain.  The Fair Payment Campaign has the objective of achieving proper and timely payment and eliminating cash retentions throughout the supply chain.   www.fairpaymentcampaign.co.uk

2. Reducing the cost, bureaucracy and waste associated with pre-qualification.  We are supporting the NSCC’s campaign to offer practical ways to exchange pre-qualification information, assess competence and increase efficiency.  NSCC – Pre-qualification

3. Increasing the investment in training.  NSCC and BWF are united in driving the development of competence standards, skills and apprenticeships and works with employers to develop the workforce  NSCC – Training

4. Focusing on the low carbon agenda. NSCC will be helping the industry invest in innovation and reduce carbon emissions by providing guidance and sharing best practice.   NSCC – Sustainability

Another benefit of working with the NSCC is that we can supplement the advice you receive through our business support helplines with legal and contractual assistance from Wedlake Bell, and employment advice from Croner. This gives you even more of the assurance you need when dealing with tricky contractual and employment issues.

We also have the opportunity to nominate representatives to the NSCC Council, and Contracts, Training & Health & Safety Committees. Interested members are invited to contact Michael Lee Michael.lee@bwf.org.uk  for further information.