Strategic Forum on target to meet goals

The Strategic Forum has met all its targets for the year and is making good progress towards its other goals, according to a leaked copy of its annual report to be launched next week.

The forum has achieved it 2004 target of 20% of construction projects (by value) to be undertaken by integrated teams and supply chains – with 90% of those involved arguing that team integration delivered quality improvements and increased repeat business. More than 75% believed integration also led to time and cost savings.

The report said that the forum had easily reached its 20% target of construction projects (by value) being procured by clients that embrace the principles of the Clients’ Charter by the end of 2004 with about 60% of major and repeat clients adopting it.

More than 80% of clients that had used the charter would use it again, the report said.

In meeting next year’s target for 300,000 qualified people to be recruited and trained in the industry, the forum reported that it was more than half-way in achieving its goal: there was a net increase of 164,000 people recruited to the industry between spring 2002 and spring 2004.

The forum is also in line to meet the 2007 target of a 50% increase in applications to built environment higher and further education courses as the number of applications increased from 6,341 in 2002 to 7,917 in 2004 – a 25% increase in two years.

Despite the lack of information to determine the annual rate of construction apprentice completions, the forum reported that current intelligence puts the figure at 3,200 in 2004.

The forum’s target is an annual completion rate of 13,500 by 2010. Against the 2010 target of a fully qualified and trained workforce on all projects, the forum reported that over the past 12 months 72% of sites monitored by the Considerate Constructors’ Scheme use CSCS cards.

A forum insider told CJ: "The forum has made good progress, but there is still a lot to do.

"The challenge will be in meeting the target of 50% of construction projects by value using integrated teams by the end of 2007," he said.