New appointment for CPA chief executive
Government appoints Dr Diana Montgomery to chair new infrastructure supply chain group
DR Diana Montgomery, chief executive of the Construction Products Association, has been appointed to chair a new Infrastructure Supply Chain Capacity and Skills group.
The group, which includes representatives from government departments, supply chain organizations and skills bodies, will provide expert guidance and work with government to recommend interventions that build capability and capacity and help mitigate inflationary pressures in the UK infrastructure sector.
Dr Montgomery (pictured) said: ‘Over the next decade we expect to see record levels of investment in the UK’s infrastructure. It is in all of our interests to ensure that the costs of delivering this work are kept under control. I welcome the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the sector, ensuring that, as an industry, we deliver solutions to this important issue.’
In related news, the Government has announced that it is launching a refresh of its joint programme with industry to reduce further costs and improve the delivery of infrastructure. This builds on the actions already taken by the current government to support longer-term planning and funding of infrastructure investment.
Building on the Infrastructure Cost Review programme, which has already identified £3 billion of annual savings since 2010, the refreshed ‘Infrastructure Cost’ programme sets out a series of projects and actions to change the behaviour of government, clients and industry.
The new programme of work will address four key themes: Improving pipeline visibility and certainty; Improving project initiation and procurement; Whole-life planning and cost control; and Supply chain skills and construction delivery.
The government, through the Commercial Secretary to the Treasury and Infrastructure UK (IUK), will work with the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG) to deliver this programme. The group will report to the Commercial Secretary on progress next autumn.
