ECA News VIEW FROM THE LOBBY by Carol Wrench, PR and public affairs manager I
n the government’s drive to reduce the deficit, the economy appears to have been put on a radical weight-loss programme designed to take it from a size 20 to a size 10 in record time. As the country tightens its collective belt, we again sit, poised, waiting to see just how far-reaching the latest round of cuts will be and how these will affect our lives and businesses.
In the last issue, I discussed the air of
uncertainty and, unfortunately, this continues to prevail as government still appears to be talking ‘big picture’, with only a passing nod to the detail – leaving us none the wiser as to the ramifications or what the cuts will mean in real terms.
Positive action However, amid the pruning of public finances, there were, thankfully, some positives for ECA registered members. The Budget and resulting government activity has seen a number of measures to boost private house-building, such as: a £250m assistance scheme for first-time buyers; the softening of planning rules to make it easier to convert commercial premises to residential; and a scheme which allows developers purchasing certain publically-owned land to start work on building new homes before paying for the land. On a negative note, this is set against the backdrop of the Localism Bill currently going through Parliament, which many commentators fear will reduce the supply of new homes being built.
Other positives included a reduction in the main rate of corporation tax by two per cent to 26 per cent, whilst the small profits rate of corporation tax fell from 21 per cent to 20 per cent. There was also new funding for additional apprenticeships, with 10,000 places aimed at supporting Level 3 and 4 apprenticeships aimed at SMEs.
Green agenda While green shoots of recovery may be thin on the ground this spring, the green agenda certainly figures highly on the government’s radar, as carbon reduction deadlines creep ever nearer. The sustainability agenda presents some very exciting opportunities for those involved in the building services and wider construction industries. We continue to promote the vital frontline role that electrical contractors play in achieving carbon reduction targets, by engaging with government departments, such as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), and the Zero-Carbon
Hub. We ensure that our voice is heard on a range of ‘green’ issues, from the Microgeneration Strategy Consultation to finalising the Green Deal and the review of the Feed-in Tariff scheme.
The ECA continues to battle for a stable tariff that gives confidence to investors and suppliers, while properly incentivising businesses and homeowners to act. It is good to see that government recognises the need for real incentives and is committed to supporting Green Deal take-up with householders and businesses. We hope that this will be via a Council Tax or Stamp Duty rebate, or possibly a reduction in VAT – we look forward to seeing what form this incentive takes, and hope that it will be meaningful enough to have real impact. In addition to our national lobbying strategy, we have just soft launched a grassroots lobbying campaign in ECA East region. Upon successful completion of this pilot, we will develop and refine the campaign for national rollout. We hope that ECA registered members will embrace this opportunity to have their say – participating at local level to bolster ECA’s national campaigning to ensure that the voice of the electrical contractor is heard across Parliament and government.
Government still appears to be talking ‘big picture’, with only a passing nod to the detail
2011 ECA circulars
APRIL 2011 n Circular 49 2011 – ECS achieves ISO 9001:2008 certification
Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: Training n Circular 48 2011 – Guidance on the Bribery Act 2010
Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: Tendering and contract administration n Circular 47 2011 – Update on VAT Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: Finance matters n Circular 46 2011 – Daywork Rates April 2011 Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: Finance matters n Circular 45 2011 – Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: Environment
12 ECA Today May 2011
n Circular 44 2011 – Cardiff & Newport branch raises £970 for charity
Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: South Wales news n Circular 43 2011 – Fair payment; a contractual requirement in central government construction contracts
Date published online: 14/04/2011 Category: Tendering and contract administration
MARCH 2011 n Circular 42 2011 – Consultation on the level of Feed-in Tariffs for PV small scale generation schemes
Date published online: 24/03/2011 Category: Environment n Circular 41 2011 – Update on the FLASH Programme
Date published online: 11/03/2011 Category: Environment
n Circular 40 2011 – Online access to BSI standards for registered members Date published online: 11/03/2011 Category: ECA service updates n Circular 39 2011 – Carbon Plan announced by government
Date published online: 11/03/2011 Category: Environment n Circular 38 2011 – Renewable Heat Incentive details announced by government Date published online: 11/03/2011 Category: Environment n Circular 37 2011 – SkillELECTRIC begins search for the UK’s top electrician Date published online: 11/03/2011 Category: Training n Circular 36 2011 – Requirements for mains supplies to fire alarms
Date published online: 09/03/2011 Category: Technical
n Circular 35 2011 – Fire alarm and emergency lighting log books
Date published online: 09/03/2011 Category: Technical n Circular 34 2011 – ECA success at HazardEx Date published online: 09/03/2011 Category: Technical n Circular 33 2011 – Update on the North West Fund
Date published online: 09/03/2011 Category: North West news
FEBRUARY 2011 n Circular 32 2011 – A warning about fraud Date published online: 16/02/2011 Category: Finance matters n Circular 31 2011 – Government opens up contracts to small business Date published online: 16/02/2011 Category: Tendering and contract administration
n Carol Wrench is PR and public affairs manager for the ECA. For more information on the ECA’s engagement strategy and details of meetings and consultations with government ministers, MPs, opposition leaders and leading civil servants, visit
www.eca.co.uk/lobbying
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