Builders Merchants Federation Follow us
1180 Elliott Court Coventry Business Park, Herald Avenue Coventry CV5 6UB Tel: 02476 854980
info@bmf.org.uk www.bmf.org.uk
Metro mayor wants mandatory housing targets
Mandatory house building targets, scrapped by Whitehall over a year ago, should be reintroduced, according to the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street. Mr Street has met the BMF several times, not least at Tory Party Conferences in Birmingham. His view is that the targets were helpful in galvanising action - having a national target which you work out at a local level forces
authorities to think about how they are going to do it - something an advisory target, as in the revised National Planning Policy Framework, fails to emulate.
Sharon Britt: New PA to John Newcomb and Events Manager BMF proudly welcomes Sharon Britt as the new
Personal Assistant to John Newcomb BMF CEO, while also taking on the role of Events Manager following June Upton’s retirement. With over 14 years of executive assistance experience, Sharon honed her skills in a medical research company, where she led various event initiatives. At BMF, Sharon’s responsibilities go beyond traditional administrative tasks. As John
Newcomb’s Personal Assistant, she will play a vital role in ensuring smooth communication and coordination within the organisation. Furthermore, as Events Manager, Sharon will oversee the planning and execution of BMF’s events, ensuring they align with the organisation’s goals and provide valuable networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities within the building materials sector.
Empower Your Team with Multiverse: Transformative Data Programmes
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, unlocking the potential of data is paramount for organisational success. Multiverse offers a comprehensive suite of programmes tailored to address the evolving needs of businesses in effectively managing and leveraging data.
From sales to HR, data permeates every aspect of modern business. The ‘Data & Digital’ Academy empowers teams to interpret data strategically, driving cost-saving and revenue opportunities. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
and government- funded
(£12,000-£35,000 value), this
programme invests in talent while future-proofing businesses. Additionally, all programmes are fully funded by the levy with no commercial cost, ensuring accessibility for all organisations. If you are not a levy-paying organisation, BMF will support to ensure you receive the 95% government subsidy for the programme.
Multiverse programmes contribute to bridging the
March 2024
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
prevalent skills gap in the industry by empowering teams with nationally accredited qualifications and supporting professional growth. This enables individuals to advance their careers while making a meaningful impact on their organisations.
Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to elevate your team’s capabilities and contribute
to the future of data-driven business.
Register for a virtual
information session and embark on a journey of transformation with Multiverse. BMF members can register for complimentary virtual sessions at https://shorturl. at/ewEFG.
For details, please contact Emma Huberman emma.
huberman@multiverse.io
43
Mr Street believes a greater devolution of powers to local areas around the country is necessary so local authorities can better work together across whole regions. With regional oversight, developments are more likely to be built in the right places in the right way - decreasing the chance of disgruntled communities. The West Midlands is one of the few regions meeting their
housing targets, especially in their delivery of affordable homes - 33% of the 6,285 built using West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) investments since 2018. The WMCA pioneered adopting a definition of affordable housing based on local people spending no more than 35 per cent of their income on housing costs - typically it is calculated as a discount on the market value.
Funding confirmed to remove RAAC from schools & colleges
The BMF has learned that Whitehall has confirmed to those affected schools & colleges how the removal of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) will be funded. The Department of Education has notified 234 places of learning in England with confirmed RAAC in some areas of their buildings - around 1% of the total 22,000 locations.
119 of these will have one or more buildings rebuilt or refurbished through the School Rebuilding Programme - a ten year commitment to improve 513 schools with the greatest material need. Most of the remaining schools will receive grants to remove RAAC from their buildings. This work will typically involve smaller-scale projects.
All schools or colleges that suspected they might have RAAC have had a survey conducted to confirm if RAAC is present. A small number are carrying out additional checks for further assurance in some spaces. If BMF members wish to find out if any establishments are nearby, a final list of schools and colleges with confirmed cases in England is here: https://www.
gov.uk/government/publications/ reinforced-autoclaved-aerated- concrete-raac-management- information
The BMF understands that - although the technical advice did not recommend removal in all cases where it is present, - the DfE took a precautionary approach in England to remove all RAAC.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
