Re:Construction

Bishop & Taylor discuss latest developments in funding fire safety remediation, the composition of top contractors’ management teams and RoSPA’s Safer Stairs campaign. They also discuss Liebherr’s decision to stay in Russia despite economic sanctions.

 Bishop & Taylor mull on the chancellor’s spring statement, the earthmoving industry and biodiversity net gain… along with a few of their usual detours, of course.

Bishop & Taylor discuss, among other things, comments recently attributed to Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Jacob Rees-Mogg. They also explore social value with Andrew Lowe of Social Value Portal.

Bishop & Taylor look ahead to next week’s spring budget statement from Rishi Sunak but don’t expect any U-turns on red diesel. They also discuss non-executive directors (aka Neddies) and whether loyalty should be part of the job spec. But first they enjoy Sir Rod Stewart filling in potholes.

Bishop & Taylor are joined by Brusk Korkmaz, CEO of AIM-listed Hercules Site Services, and his CFO Paul Wheatcroft

Bishop & Taylor discuss the vacant chair at the Construction Leadership Council, the Pallet Loop scheme and the lurking perils of expiring PFI contracts.

With Taylor Wimpey choosing its next CEO from within, against the advice of a major shareholder, Bishop & Taylor discuss succession planning. They also make a plea for greater clarity from marketing copywriters and discuss the breadth of construction’s corporate slogans, from “we build stuff” to (Taylor’s favourite) “redefining the boundaries of ambition”.

Bishop & Taylor are joined by Sarah Meek, managing director of mental welfare charity Mates in Mind. They also meet Nick Barnes of Allied Mechanical Engineering, who explains how recent VAT reforms have further squeezed the middle of construction’s supply chain.

Bishop & Taylor discuss reports of Kier buying Taylor Douglas, CARES (the UK Certification Authority For Reinforcing Steel) expelling manufacturers, and the arbitrary 18-metre cut-off for the new building safety regime.

Taylor has been watching Greg Wallace in a JCB factory; Bishop accuses Michael Gove of grandstanding; and they share views on the 2022 New Year Honours.

Bishop and Taylor look back and some of the highlights and lowlights of construction industry news in 2021.

Bishop & Taylor are joined by Lord Aberdare, who has tabled The Construction (Retentions Abolition) Bill in parliament. Our hosts also discuss developments in the campaign for mandatory builders’ licences, and the feasibility studies for a Stranraer-Larne fixed link, both of which now look dead in the water.

With International Men’s Day on 19th November, Bishop & Taylor discuss manliness and men’s health. They speak to Sophie Smith, a specialist nurse at Prostate Cancer UK. And they also discuss the construction industry’s (lack of) preparedness for the end of red diesel.

Interserve’ auditors have been fined, BAM is building a net-zero pathfinder school and the consolidation of builders’ merchants continues. Bishop & Taylor discuss all this and more.

Bishop & Taylor have differing attitudes to the use of uncertified reinforcing steel on the HS2 project. They also discuss a change in funding methods for new nuclear power stations and consider proposals from the National Federation of Builders to ‘reconstruct’ the industry’s training board.

Bishop & Taylor wonder how much the UK really benefits from foreign contractors building roads in far-off lands. They also discuss the SOS hand signal with which victims of modern slavery can seek help, before straying to the topic of secret handshakes.

After a brief digression into James Bond territory, Bishop & Taylor discuss developments at nmcn since they last spoke, the new rules for chartered surveyors and the production of HS2 tunnel lining segments in Hartlepool.

After a bit of politics, Bishop & Taylor discuss the demise this week of a £400m contractor. They are also joined by Ayo Ogunbambi, mentor to Balfour Beatty CEO Leo Quinn.

In a bumper episode, Bishop & Taylor are joined by building conservation specialist Adrian Attwood of DBR and hear how 2022 will be ‘The Year of the Master Craftsperson’. They also talk fuel efficiency, from F1 to tower cranes, with Punch Flybrid’s Tobias Knichel. But first… views are expressed on UK taxpayer loans to a foreign-owned start-up.

Bishop & Taylor discuss materials shortages and spiralling prices, exchange thoughts on the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, and look forward to the return of Peter Tom, the Leicester Tigers chairman dubbed the Aggregate King by The Times newspaper.

Bishop & Taylor discuss some of the events of the week, including the cabinet reshuffle. They also talk to theatre director Nicolas Kent, whose Grenfell: Value Engineering – scenes from the Inquiry is coming to a London stage next month. And, first up, Taylor recalls his visit to Wells Cathedral to see conservation work in action.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the 2021 UK Top 100 Construction Contractors ranking, published this week. They also recall the world-changing event of 20 years ago this week and reporting from Ground Zero.

On the agenda in this episode is the Wolfson Economic Prize shortlist and the limitations of Rishi Sunak’s apparently generous tax allowance for machinery purchases. But first, Bishop & Taylor are joined by Richard Waterhouse of NBS to discuss product specification, sustainability and marketing.

This week Bishop & Taylor discuss Highways England’s re-brand, the sale of Osborne Infrastructure Ltd and an industry programme to devise equality, diversity and inclusion metrics

To discuss the new UK Hydrogen Strategy, and what it means for construction and the built environment, Bishop & Taylor are joined firstly by Buta Atwal, CEO of Ryze Hydrogen and Wrightbus, and then by Cadent regional development manager Helen Boyle and Isaac Occhipinti from the Energy & Utilities Alliance