Welcome & Apologies – Julia Coak (JC)
JC welcomed everyone in attending. Apologies had been received from Kirsty Northcote of B J Champion; Andrea Parker of Dyer & Butler; Tony Jack, Hughes & Salvidge; Paul Barton of L A Kattenhorn & Ptnrs; Kevin Edginton of K & K Décor; Clare Isaac & Sarah Whittle of Raymond Brown.
Attendees list
Julia Coak (JC), Chair (Lynx Forecourts)
Eileen Bird (EB), Training Officer, HCTA
Liz Steele (LS), CITB
Kelly Marsh (KM) & Justine Duffin, Brymor Construction
Steve Hale (SH), Parchow Groundworks
Jacqueline Mansfield (JM) Wendage Pollution Control
Estell Guest, HCTA Treasurer
David Shaw, Blanchard Wells
Paul Broderick, Blaze Construction
Mandy Phelps, Building Tecnics
Esther Hardie, Carlton Civil Engineering
Gary Mann, Comserv UK
Chelcey Davey, Kier Highways Services
Nicki Trant & Jason Woodward , PTC
Shelley Baxter, R Collard
Janet Hutchinson (JH), R & W Civil Eng.
Stuart Burne, Reside Construction
Lizzi Richardson, Richardson (Nyewood)
Stephen Busby, Busby Builders
Sarah Groves (SG), Selwood
Maggie Stefaniak & Mike Collins, Trant
Matt Alexander, Welbro Project Mgmt
John Mitchell, Blake Morgan (Speaker)
A.G.M
Eileen gave a summary report on 2016 activities – see attached
The summary report was accepted by all in attendance.
Julia spoke about HCTA plans for 2017 – see attached
The vote for Commitment to ITG status needed 75% vote from members, so, whilst this was voted for by all in attendance, it has taken time to get sufficient postal returns but these have now been received, so this has been passed.
The officers from 2016 were all voted back into office unanimously.
The 2018 subscription rate was accepted at £75.00
Information
Eileen proceeded to explain that she had been trying to get information about the new arrangements for Apprenticeships. A hand out was available to those interested and was circulated during National Apprenticeship week. Dates of apprenticeship events known were given out and Eileen explained that local colleges were all trying to work more closely with employers to assist them.
Further information from CITB has been collected and will be sent by post in early April.
CSCS Update Eileen reminded members that the CSO card is being withdrawn with a deadline for applications of 31st March 2017. Recent cards issued will expire on 30th September 2017 so anyone with employees with this type of card should make enquiries about replacement cards which may be available through newly developed qualifications or through partner/affiliated card schemes.
CPCS Development Plans Eileen advised that CPCS have announced plans for reviewing and updating the scheme in 2017. The key development areas include:-
Category Development – reviewing Telescopic handler 360 Slew and Forward Tipping Dumper categories.
Digital Logbooks will be developed and additional support given to validators.
Renewal Tests are being developed and will be in place during 2017.
More video guides will be produced and pocket guide versions of the scheme booklet.
Quality assurance is continuing to focus on tackling fraud.
Solent LEP is still very active, particularly in promoting funding. Dates in March and April were shared relating to Industrial Strategy and SME funding.
The Solent Construction Skills Strategy meetings brought to light the fact that there is no provision for Groundworks apprenticeships in Solent area. This has now led to a group of interested parties getting together and putting bids together with assistance from Fareham College for a facility probably on HMS Daedalus site in Lee-on-Solent.
HCTA member companies are involved with this development – Blanchard Wells, Carlton Civil Engineering, Dyer & Butler, Parchow, PTC, Raymond Brown and Trant with Blaze and R & W both interested parties too.
CITB Events The dates for the Levy/Grant Consultation events and Employer forums for March were shared.
HCTA and member Training Opportunities
Eileen reminded people that there was Face Fit Train the Tester training going on and mentioned the few vacancies (some free spaces)
Also being offered were:-
Through Selwood – Safe Urban Driver course
Through Trant – Time Management course
HCTA member subsidy (subject to return of quarterly information) is available at £700 per member company again. Companies should contact Eileen before making any firm booking which Eileen will then confirm complete with an approval code as an order number. Member companies will then be Invoiced by HCTA at a reduced rate
Speaker – John Mitchell. John works in the Risk and Compliance Team of Blake Morgan Solicitors and specialises in Health & Safety.
John proceeded to give an interesting and informative presentation on the sentencing laws for health & safety offences which came effect in February 2016, explaining that there are now guidelines and a framework within which the courts work. There are many things that are taken into consideration, including, size of the organisation (turnover); mitigating circumstances; culpability; harm category (replicates a risk assessment to measure severity of harm against its likelihood of occurring); safe systems of work being in place.
John’s power-point slides are attached
CITB Update
Liz covered some of the major things which are under review within CITB and highlighted the Consultation event being held in Basingstoke (15th March).
Liz showed the short Levy Offer video which is available on CITB’s web site. The link to this for those who have not view it and made comment is:-
http://www.citb.co.uk/levy/2018-levy-consensus/
Grant changes were also mentioned and the new model of CITB priorities which focus on Careers; Training and Development and Qualifications and Standards.
http://www.citb.co.uk/funding/modernising-our-grants-scheme/
Liz said that she and Shirley can now offer Ambassador training for us if we have people who would be happy to attend events as Ambassadors for Careers in Construction.
D.W.P and Job Centre Plus are looking to engage more with employers and the Open Doors events (w/c 27th March) are times when careers are being highlighted and HCTA have been contacted by some schools and colleges about events they are holding.
Liz and Shirley (as other areas) are running Funding workshops for employers and other interested parties and members are encouraged to think about applying for funds from Skills & Training pot which is available to individual companies.
Anyone interested should contact Eileen
2017 KPI’s & Targets
The KPI’s agreed between HCTA and CITB for 2017 fit within the 3 focus areas for CITB. Some are different from the type of activities that we were targeted on before and it is imperative that HCTA members provide feedback on their contribution towards these targets on a quarterly basis. It has been decided that any member companies that do not respond will forfeit access to training subsidy at least until they complete a return.
Eileen will try to gather information during meetings and collate company activity which can then be checked and details given as appropriate. Each member company will be contacted with a spreadsheet showing all of the KPI’s but we have highlighted:-
Use and Promotion of Go-Contruct (Eileen now has a new pull-up promotional banner which can be used by members)
Work Experience Placements
Construction Career Support Activities
Training Days organised and/or delivered by HCTA
Qualifying the Workforce (NVQ 2 and above including part time degrees, NEBOSH and others)
Increased meeting attendance
Development of Construction Skills Strategies
Applications for Flexible or Structured Funds
New Entrants to Construction Industry (includes Apprentices and all others new to Construction whatever age)
Pro-active involvement in 2018 Levy and Grant change consultation etc.
Spreadsheets are being prepared and will be issued w/c 27th March/3rd April for checking.
HCTA Web Site and New Logo
Julia explained more about the developments for 2017. These include a new Logo which was revealed.
In choosing a logo we have tried to consider that Hampshire is a county of town and city (buildings), countryside and coastline (colour range); and our members work both internally (blocked building) and externally (outline building) and the workforce includes operative, technical and managerial staff (silhouettes)
An HCTA web site is also under development. Eileen showed the basic draft which is being populated for a possible launch at the June meeting.
VAT registration will be in place by 6th April.
Any Other Business & Date of Next Meeting
There was no Other Business.
The next meeting is to be held on Wednesday 7th June at The Raven Hotel Hook. Our main speaker will be Dave Evans of Act Sustainably.