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The leaderboard of contract wins for March provides further evidence the public sector is effectively propping up the industry, accounting for more than half of work won.

The total value of non-civils deals won by the top 30 contractors was 拢1.78bn and more than 拢900m came from public projects. The total is well below the pre-recession level of 拢2.19bn in March 2007, but was a 22% rise on the 拢1.46bn recorded in March 2009.

In the week that the main political parties launched their manifestos, which all glossed over the precise level of public sector cuts to come, it highlights the industry鈥檚 vulnerability to the post-election scythe.

Deals for the top 30 contractors including civils amounted to 拢2.14bn. In what the industry will hope is not the start of a worrying trend for a sector that many are pinning their hopes on to provide a steady stream of work, the figure was down from 拢3.27bn in February and the 拢3.4bn recorded in March 2009.

Balfour Beatty topped the league table in March, thanks to 51 wins, including a 拢250m social housing contract for North-east Lincolnshire council. The firm won 拢354m worth of contracts in the public sector alone and topped the annual rolling table with 792 wins worth 拢7.3bn.

Second place went to Morgan Sindall, which secured two contracts for schools in Hull with the Esteem consortium.

Sir Robert McAlpine climbed to fourth from 10th with 拢140m worth of new deals, all from commercial clients, including a 拢96m American Express deal in Brighton.

But the table brought more bad news for Laing O鈥橰ourke, which won only two contracts in March. Last month finance director Iain Ferguson left the firm, as commercial head Anna Stewart expanded her role to take over his duties amid concern the firm was not winning enough work. Laing O鈥橰ourke is just clinging on to third place in the yearly table, 拢7m ahead of Kier. It was top two years ago.

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