Rows surface over make-up of new Strategic Forum

The Construction Umbrella Bodies' (CUB), the group responsible for the formation of the new Strategic Forum, which is due to start in September, has been accused of leaving out prominent sectors of the industry.

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment are angry at being omitted from the current organising and argue that the new forum will be not be the 'fully representational' it is supposed to be.

And, according to one industry source, the squabbling has got so bad that the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) is threatening to take back control of the Forum.

"The DTI share this view and there is a feeling that it will want to wash its hands of the proposal to open up ownership of the Forum to the industry," added the source. The DTI was unable to comment.

A CITB source argued: "With training so high on the 'Accelerating Change' agenda, why does it seem that we have been omitted from the new Forum?"

And Andrew Large, the FMB's director of external affairs, added: "As well as training we would like to see more involvement for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and a voice within the Forum to express their views."

A CUB spokesman said: "All existing forum members had been consulted as to the new forum".

But a second Forum source admitted that the groups had a right to be annoyed if the accusations were correct and that CUB should not have the final say in who is involved.

Exclusive by Ross Pearman