NEWS
STRATEGIC APPROACH NEEDED TO TACKLE DETERIORATING SCHOOL STOCK
BUDGET GREETED WITH MIXED
A new, more strategic approach is required to address Northern Ireland’s deteriorating schools’ estate and make better use of limited funding available, according to a new report from the Comptroller and Auditor General. Published on November 12, Dorinnia Carville’s Managing the Schools’ Estate report considers the Department for Education’s existing approach to capital investment and maintenance funding in the context of best practice. Acknowledging historic and ongoing challenges including a complex school system, budgetary pressures and rising costs, it finds significant improvements are required to ensure funding is used more effectively in the future. Totalling over 1,100 schools, the schools’ estate in Northern Ireland has a total estimated capital value of £4.6bn. In 2023- 24, the Department recorded a total capital expenditure of £276.4m across the estate,
A mixed response from the construction industry has greeted the Labour Government’s Autumn Budget, unveiled by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on October 30. Welcoming a £270m increase to £2.2bn in the Northern Ireland Executive’s capital budget in 2025/26, CEF Chief Executive Mark Spence said the uplift was, however, insufficient to reverse decades of underfunding of the region’s water and wastewater system. CEF has repeated calls for a review of how NI Water is funded, given its crucial role in wider economic activity such as homebuilding and protecting the environment. Eddie Tuttle, Director of Policy, Research and Public Affairs at CIOB, said, “Higher taxes, like increased employer National Insurance contributions, are likely to increase financial strains on the SMEs that are so vital to the industry and its supply chain.” Only 20% of construction professionals in the UK think the Budget will ultimately be good for the industry, according to Gleeds’ latest Market Report. The firm’s 4Q 2024 survey found that 80% believe the Budget will either have negative repercussions or make no difference to the sector overall. www.gov.uk/government/ publications/autumn-budget-2024 RESPONSE FROM CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller & Auditor General.
and a spend of £28.4m on maintenance. Welcoming the report, Education Minister Paul Givan said, “This will require a significant step change in the level of capital investment by the Northern Ireland Executive.” www.niauditoffice.gov.uk/publications/ managing-schools-estate
CIOB fellows and graduates are recognised at Belfast City Hall.
CIOB HONOURS OVER 50 GRADUATES AT BELFAST CITY HALL CEREMONY
More than 50 talented construction experts have been rewarded for their commitment to professionalism at a graduation ceremony at Belfast’s City Hall on November 16. As well as four new fellows, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) celebrated dozens of Chartered members. Graduates from across Ireland and Northern Ireland donned gowns as they took to the stage to collect their certificates at the largest graduation event CIOB’s Northern Ireland Hub has seen in recent years. Caroline Gumble, CEO at CIOB, said,
“I want to congratulate the new members, new fellows and our new company member who joined us for our wonderful Belfast graduation event. “It is no easy thing to achieve chartered status, but it means that our community of construction professionals is growing and helping to drive the industry forward in the most meaningful ways.” The event was opened by CIOB Northern Ireland Hub Chair Jonathan Payne and overseen by Councillor Micky Murray, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, with more than 150 guests in attendance.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
www.nibuilder.co.uk
FOLLOW US ON:
NI BUILDER | 7
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online