Partner Article

Northern Powerhouse Minister announced as guest speaker

Construction Alliance Northeast (CAN), which was formally launched late last year, has announced that James Wharton MP and ‘Northern Powerhouse’ Minister will be its key speaker at a forthcoming event.

CAN, which is made up of the regional offices of four professional organisations – Northern Counties Builders Federation (NCBF), Federation of Master Builders (FMB), National Federation of Builders (NFB) and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), is to hold its official launch event on Friday 11th March at a breakfast session which is taking place at Durham’s Ramside Hall.

The alliance has been formed to speak up on behalf of some 500 member companies with a combined turnover of £3bn employing in excess of 100,000 people, to champion their interests in the area of public sector tendering.

To date representatives from NEPO, Sunderland City Council, Newcastle City Council, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and Durham County Council as well as North and South Tyneside Councils have signed up to attend, together with key personnel from over 50 SME construction contracting companies. However, as a few places still remain member companies are being urged to attend the event.

It is hoped that CAN will be able to help stem the former tide of public sector contracts leaving the region to national firms by demonstrating to local and central government that there are some highly accomplished and talented construction-related companies in the region which deserve a chance to compete for work.

CAN’s chair, Jeff Alexander, said:

“Through CAN we will demonstrate the benefits of using a regional workforce, not only because of their local knowledge, their skills and experience but also because of the benefits to local supply chains.

“Given the government’s current plans for the Northern Powerhouse I believe this is exactly the right time for us to press ahead with CAN. We aim to be a power for good in reforming procurement methods within the northeast construction industry.”

www.constructionalliancenortheast.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Leigh Chelton .