THE CITB has announced it is on the lookout for a new head office in Peterborough following calls from the construction sector for radical reform of the organisation.
The CITB is looking to establish a “single, modern head office” to replace the current set-up where functions are spread across 11 sites throughout Britain. The aim is to have a lease signed later this year, with the move completed by January 2020.
Peterborough is the preferred location. The CITB described the city as having a “strong local talent pool, a generous supply of modern, sustainable office facilities, supported by excellent road and rail transport links”. Peterborough is also the closest, centrally located city to CITB’s Bircham Newton site.
The CITB said it will continue to consult with unions and elected employee representatives, particularly with the aim of reducing redundancies and mitigating the impact of the changes.
CITB chief executive Sarah Beale said, “This is a necessary step for CITB. British construction firms pay their levy and rightly expect high-quality skills as a result. The creation of a single head office will bring us closer to our customers and create the right environment to ensure that CITB delivers the ‘levy in, skills out’ focus that industry and government have demanded.
“As a GB-wide organisation, it is vital that we are better connected to our customers so that we can reach important partners – including construction firms – more easily providing a flexible workspace which can accommodate a highly mobile workforce. Our new head office will also be designed to suit the size and mission of the organisation that CITB will become.
“The Vision 2020, Future CITB programme is designed to secure the long-term future of CITB; which was by no means certain before the last consensus vote. However we are mindful of the impact these reforms have on colleagues and this decision will not be taken lightly.
“For a number of us who work at CITB, this change will be a challenge as well as an opportunity. Peterborough was selected as the preferred location with colleagues, as well as customers, in mind as it offers the greatest potential to reduce redundancies, therefore retaining some talented colleagues, whilst meeting our future needs. We will be working with unions and elected employee representatives to ensure their views are heard throughout the change process.”
Peter Lauener, chair of CITB added, “CITB has embarked on a radical transformation programme which will deliver the skills British construction needs. To do this, we will need to become a more flexible, dynamic organisation, working in partnership with employers in all parts of Great Britain and setting the standards for future skills. Part of that change will mean establishing a new head office in a more central location such as Peterborough where access to other parts of GB will be easier.”
