Founder member of CPCS plant scheme resigns

One of the founder organisations of the Construction Plant Competence Scheme has resigned from the CPCS Management Committee.

The resignation came after the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS) refused to give up its own card scheme, at the insistence of the CPCS.

The NPORS card follows an alternative training route, which does not rely on operators registering for an NVQ. But unlike the CPCS card, the NPORS card is not recognised by the Major Contractors Group (MCG).

NPORS chairman Ron Andrews explained the resignation, saying: "They wanted us to give up our card scheme and we wouldn't."

But CPCS chairman Trevor Gamble said that he asked NPORS to make the move as it was confusing operators, who were unsure which card to take. Gamble said his committee requires that a member "does not come into direct competition with the CPCS".

He said: "It was creating confusion in the industry. Employers and operatives have paid to be carded and have gone for the NPORS scheme because it is cheaper, and then found that they couldn't use the cards on MCG sites."

[Contract Journal, 20 September 2006, p 3]