SME contractors to have their say on CITB levy

Grant Prior 6 years ago
Share

Small and medium sized contractors are being invited to take part in the biggest-ever independent survey of views on the Construction Industry Training Board’s levy and grant scheme.

The survey is being conducted by payroll company Hudson Contract Services who are vocal critics of the training body.

It comes as  the CITB is due to consult with the construction industry this year to seek consent for its levy-raising powers.

Hudson is polling its customer base of 2,200 construction SMEs on their experience of the scheme.

Hudson managing director Ian Anfield said: “We believe the levy and grant scheme is a failing system which works against the interests of SMEs and favours the major contractors.”

Hudson is also consulting clients on an alternative model for the CITB.

Anfield said: “The world of work has moved on. We will be publishing our proposals in the coming months.

“Safe to say, our alternative model will reduce costs for industry, cut red tape, put more money into government coffers and, most importantly, improve outcomes for training and health and safety in the construction industry.

“CITB has raised more than £1.75bn in levies over the last decade and still we are told there is a construction skills crisis. It looks like a billion pound bodge job.”

Analysis by Hudson shows that between 2016 and 2019, large companies paid £176.3m in levies and received £152.2m in grants and other support payments.

SMEs paid £421.6m in levies and received grants and support payments of £257.2m.

Steve Radley, CITB Policy Director, said: “We are always looking to make levy funding more accessible and effective so it will be great to get more intelligence from this survey on what levy payers think.

“Feedback from employers is that funding from the levy is making a real difference to small firms.

“The Skills and Training Fund will have provided £8m of support to small firms and will grow to £10m in the coming year.

“Small employers tell us that the funding is much more accessible and feedback to the planned £4m medium sized fund, which starts from April, has also been very positive.

“This is on top of the £100m funding that the Grants Scheme will provide this year, of which two thirds goes to SMEs.”

Chris Carr, Managing Director of Carr and Carr Builders, a small firm in Grimsby and a member of CITB’s England Council said: “CITB has made a real effort to make its funding more accessible and more targeted at where it’s needed such as the onsite trades. In small family and micro building companies like ours  we are starting to see the difference.”

Latest news

Probe launched after Falcon tower crane collapse

Luffing jib tower crane collapsed on Hill Group housing site
2 hours ago

Housing drags down fledgling construction recovery

Buyers report return to accelerated downturn but still hopeful for year ahead
20 hours ago

Taylor Wimpey to spend £150m this year on safety defects backlog

House builder reveals cavity barrier defects behind most of £222m jump in provisions
22 hours ago

Near-1,000 homes approved for Isle of Dogs site

42-storey co-living tower and 27-storey affordable housing block backed
23 hours ago

Tower crane collapses in London

Site photos show aftermath of failure
22 hours ago

Go-ahead for Preston 500-home plan at shopping precinct

St Johns shopping centre to be demolished in city centre regeneration plan
23 hours ago

Keltbray lays foundation for HS2 Curzon Street station

Vast 2,011-pile operation finished as Birmingham build powers on
23 hours ago

John F Hunt wins Euston Tower demolition

Specialist will take-down 36-storey tower in technically challenging contract
2 days ago

GMI confirmed for green Manchester office scheme

35 Fountain Street will feature cross‑laminated timber
2 days ago

Trio bag £1bn concrete road replacement deal

Kier, Graham and Sisk win 6-year legacy concrete road framework
2 days ago

Former Balfour chief to become Barratt Redrow CEO

Dean Banks to take helm at house builder later this year
2 days ago

Galliford Try lifts full-year outlook after 20% profit surge

Margins strengthen across Building and Infrastructure as order book hits £4.1bn
2 days ago

Consultation to start on merging CITB and ECITB

Government to launch 12 week consultation this month
2 days ago

Vistry boss Greg Fitzgerald announces retirement

Industry giant to step down after 45 years in house building and construction
2 days ago

Bouygues E&S contracting arm reborn as Equans Sci-Tech

Rebrand to target work for pharma, aerospace and tech clients
2 days ago

£231m London Barbican Arts Centre overhaul approved

Major on-site works are due to begin in 2027
3 days ago

Galliford Try lands £16m Hartlepool school rebuild

St Helens Primary project targets net zero in operation
3 days ago

“Energy and optimism” at Kier after strong set of results

Contractor hits target of an average net cash position for the first time in 13 years.
3 days ago

BBA standards body has own accreditation suspended

British Board of Agrement has status suspended by UKAS National Accreditation Body
3 days ago

Scottish Water unveils £13.4bn six-year spend plan

Publicly-owned utility earmarks £8bn for core infrastructure works from 2027
3 days ago

Winners confirmed on £37bn hospital framework

Ten contractors to deliver next wave of new hospitals
4 days ago

Mears offloads education and health FM arm for £18m

Morrison Facilities Services sold to focus on housing work
3 days ago

Wates veteran to drive Caddick subcontracting growth

Mark Kearney appointed commercial director to sharpen work-winning
3 days ago

Galliford Try wins £60m RAF Lakenheath munitions hub

First US Air Force project secured
3 days ago

Bovis seals £200m London Stock Exchange revamp

Builder returns to Paternoster Square for flagship City transformation
4 days ago

Byrne Group drops O’Keefe Demolition name

Rebrand to Byrne Demolition and Byrne Groundworks
4 days ago

Gateway 2 legacy backlog cut to just three cases

Building Safety Regulator shifts 18 complex schemes into specialist process
4 days ago

Local authorities sitting on £9bn of developer contributions

Unspent cash pile grows after Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy payments
4 days ago

Kier veteran joins RED leadership team

RED plots growth plan with top level hires
4 days ago

Major circular construction hub opens in Royal Docks

New waste recycling hub to support Silvertown homes plan
4 days ago