Training board needs 鈥渇undamental reform鈥� after one-vote majority in favour of levy proposals

Brian berry fmb

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned the CITB that it is effectively 鈥榦n notice鈥�, after it backed the continuation of the board鈥檚 training levy scheme by the slenderest of margins.

FMB members voted by 83 to 82 in favour of its levy proposals, with the federation鈥檚 top brass warning the CITB it would have to undergo 鈥渇undamental reform鈥� and be 鈥渢otally transformed鈥�.

Voting in the CITB鈥檚 triennial consensus period is set to conclude at the end of this week, with the result announced in November.

The FMB is the latest organisation to support the training body鈥檚 continued existence, after Balfour Beatty threw its weight behind the group earlier this month after earlier suggesting 鈥� through its chief executive Leo Quinn 鈥� that it should be disbanded.

But while he confirmed its backing in a , the FMB鈥檚 chief executive Brian Berry (pictured) stressed his members were 鈥渄issatisfied with the performance of CITB鈥� and 鈥渄o not want this support to be interpreted as support for the status quo鈥�.

FMB members had accepted the construction industry鈥檚 skills shortage would be exacerbated if there was no industry board 鈥渢o drive training in the sector鈥�, he said, but this did not let the CITB off the hook. 鈥淭his is its last chance,鈥� he added.

鈥淚f we do not see positive change within the organisation, and if the organisation does not achieve better outcomes, the FMB will recommend to its members that we remove our support during the next consensus process in three years鈥� time.鈥�

The CITB had to 鈥渨ork for the greater good of the construction industry鈥�, Berry added, with grants being invested 鈥渟trategically and where they are most needed鈥ot used to placate certain sub-sectors of the industry鈥�.

Additionally, Berry demanded a review of the CITB鈥檚 corporate structure, arguing that it was 鈥渟hocking鈥� that the CITB board contained only one representative from a SME construction firm.

鈥淔urthermore, this individual is a Human Resources professional rather than someone with an SME contractor background.

鈥淕iven that SME firms make up 98% of the construction industry and train two-thirds of all apprentices, the FMB wants to see this reflected at board level with at least half of its members being SME contractor representatives,鈥� he said.

Earlier this month the CITB responded to criticism about its allocation of funding, outlining a number of schemes it had backed with cash.

The Home Builders鈥� Federation said that it was still to reveal the results of its members鈥� poll on the CITB, however earlier this month it suggested that funds be ring-fenced for training specific to housebuilding, while the FMB has rejected such a move.

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