MEMBER NEWS _ YOUR FMB
NORTHERN IRELAND
CYMRU
New legislation, new contracts WHAT? The FMB has launched free-to-use building contracts for NI members, which you can find on members’ area of the website. WHY? Changes due to the Defective Buildings Act have placed an even higher value on good record-keeping and having protection through building contracts. The new FMB contracts reflect these changes. TO DO: Read through the new contracts, understand them, download them, and consistently use them on your projects.
Showcasing apprenticeships to the Skills Minister
ambitions. Small builders train the majority of
FMB Cymru welcomed Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Jack Sargeant MS, to member Excel Home Design’s site in Pontyclun during National Apprenticeship Week. The Minister met apprentices learning their trade and saw the vital role FMB members play in training the construction workforce in Wales. Sargeant said: “We are committed to strengthening the workforce and skills pipeline to meet Wales’ construction, housing and retrofit
construction apprentices in Wales, and we value that contribution immensely.” The visit highlighted the
central role of SMEs in delivering apprenticeships and the importance of ensuring they are supported to build the next generation of skilled tradespeople.
Construction licensing Stormont NORTHERN IRELAND
FMB research shows that 20% of homeowners in Northern Ireland lost money to unqualified builders, with a UK-wide total loss of £14.3 billion over five years. Further findings include: 27% hired unreliable builders; and 10% hired unqualified ones. FMB NI takes the licensing debate to the Northern Ireland Assembly at a public event on 28 May – and members are welcome to attend to call for greater scrutiny of those who operate without accreditation.
CYMRU
Builders’ Manifesto for Wales FMB Cymru launched its Builders’ Manifesto for Wales 2026 ahead of May’s Senedd election, setting out four key areas for the next Welsh Government to focus on. 1 Housing delivery: FMB Cymru is calling for ambitious housing
strategy and proportionate standards that enable SMEs to play a central role. 3 Skills: The sector needs 2,200 additional workers each year, yet the workforce is shrinking. FMB Cymru calls for a national construction skills strategy and funding for supporting SMEs to hire apprentices. 4 Standards and safety: To tackle rogue trading and raise consumer confidence, the manifesto backs a licensing scheme and clear guidance to help SMEs comply with building safety reforms.
targets, greater allocation of small sites and improved access to development f inance. 2 Retrofit and decarbonisation: With much of Wales’s 2050 housing stock already built, the manifesto calls for a long-term national retrofit
CONTACT Gavin McGuire, NI Director | Email: gavinmcguire@fmb.org.uk | Call: 07341 869 080
CONTACT Ifan Glyn, Cymru and UK Senior Hub Director | Email: ifanglyn@fmb.org.uk | Call: 07769 687 227
Master Builder 47
www.fmb.org.uk
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