ConstructionSkills forced to make further grant cuts

At the latest meeting of the CITB-ConstructionSkills Board, the decision was taken to make further cuts to plug the budget deficit. After ongoing debate, the Board have set into a place a package of measures to help ConstructionSkills to restore its working capital, as required by Government. As part of this package, the Board have agreed to reduce all grants by 15%, with effect from 1 January 2010. However, the Board wanted to learn lessons from past recessions and limit the potential for skills gap emerging in the future. As a result, they opted to protect grants for new entrants coming into the industry at all levels – from professionals to trade. The Board also agreed to: – Reduce the Training Plan day rate to £17.50 (applicable to all plans started during the 2009/2010 Scheme Year). – Increase the minimum duration of training acceptable within a Training Plan from 30 minutes to three hours (applicable to all plans started on or after 1 January 2010). – Limit entitlement to the Training and Development Plan per capita grant (£9 per head with a minimum of £450 payable) to the first Training Plan only (effective for plans started on or after 1 January 2010). – Reduce all other grants by 15%, with the exception of grants for apprenticeships and undergraduates.
  These changes come came after leading economists reported that the construction industry has contracted by 13% this year. This, combined with falling Levy, a continuing high demand for grants and a drive for efficiency within the organisation has resulted in further changes being made. To read the full press release from ConstructionSkills, go here: