CECA Wales periodically produces publications on a range of issues relevant to our members.
These can be downloaded below:
CECA Wales periodically produces publications on a range of issues relevant to our members.
These can be downloaded below:
This Market Day event was held to inform potential bidders of the structure of the forthcoming framework to deliver highway and civil engineering services across southeast Wales from 2022. The content of the presentation slides reflect proposals current as of 14th June 2021 but are subject to change following feedback from the market.
Here’s a quick look at HS2 supply chain opportunities for Welsh civil engineering contractors.
This document contains the latest forecast pipeline of work for the Southeast Wales Highways and Civil Engineering Framework at April 2021. It is based on data shared by the Framework Managers in a webinar with CECA Wales members on 13th April 2021 and will updated following the next webinar.
House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee Inquiry : Rail Infrastructure in Wales
Response from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Wales
This is an exciting time for the sector in Wales with the establishment of Transport for Wales offering greater opportunities to pursue integrated transport solutions involving rail and with the devolution of rail infrastructure on the Core Valley Lines (CVL) supporting greater integration between asset owner and rail operator. However, it still faces challenges particularly in terms of serious underfunding of rail improvement works compared to many regions of England and in the part devolved nature of its rail assets and the different priorities pursued by the Department for Transport.
House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee Inquiry : Renewable Energy in Wales
Response from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Wales
Energy generation and transmission are important areas of work for many of Wales’ civil engineering contractors and represent, in our opinion, an under utilised resource in Wales. However, energy is a sub-sector of infrastructure which is only partially devolved to Wales with many responsibilities retained by Westminster. This means that CECA Wales works with both governments to influence policy and investment. The inquiry that your Committee has launched on renewable energy in Wales comes after the UK Prime Minister announced a 10-point plan for a ‘green industrial revolution’ – set to be worth billions of public and private sector investment. We feel that Wales is in an unique position to support this “revolution”and to benefit from energy transition, particularly in wind power and marine renewables. We also feel that the opportunities to deliver high-skilled employment and to invest in communities across Wales will be an essential part of our post-Covid economic recovery. However, as you will see below, there are a number of constraints and barriers to overcome if a growth in renewable energy development is to benefit Welsh communities, businesses and our broader economy. We have also set out how we think the UK and Welsh Governments can work together to achieve commons goals and help to set the tone ahead of COP26 next year. However, this is not the main focus of our response.Our response is based on the questions that you have set out in your invitation to respond.
Transforming Public Procurement: UK Government Green Paper Consultation
Response from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Wales
I am writing on behalf of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Wales), in my role as Company Director, to submit evidence to the above named UK Government Green Paper consultation. I believe that a separate response is being made on behalf of our sister organisations across England and Scotland. However, given that procurement is a devolved matter, whilst there will be many similarities in both responses, there are differences in associated legislation in Wales which need to be properly represented and accounted for in any new legislation presented by the UK Government.
The procurement process is fundamental to the sustainability of civil engineering businesses. On a broad level the publication of this consultation is welcomed as it has the potential to radically change and improve public sector procurement practices for the long term. Poor procurement practices, along with limited visibility of public sector workflow and poor payment practices, are consistently reported by our members in Wales as being their greatest concerns. We also welcome the publication of the Construction Playbook. Although not formally adopted by the Welsh Government nor local authorities across the UK, the Playbook presents commercial best practices to guide public procurements and seeks to transform how contracting authorities and their supply chains work together. Taken together these changes offer a positive opportunity to our sector.
Llwybr Newydd: a new Wales transport strategy
The Wales Transport Strategy (WTS) is a statutory document required by the Transport (Wales) Act 2006 (The Act). The Act places a duty on the Welsh Ministers to prepare and publish a WTS setting out its policies and how they will be discharged. Covering all modes, it sets out our strategic priorities and desired outcomes, providing a link to the wider priorities as well as plans at the local authority level. Section 2(3)of the same Act requires the Welsh Ministers to keep the WTS under review and provides the ability to revise it from time to time. ‘Llwybr Newydd’ – new path in Welsh – is the Wales Transport Strategy Consultation Draft. The Welsh Government published it in order to hear feedback. Llwybr Newydd sets out a vision and long-term, 20-year ambitions for how transport can contribute to the wider social, environmental, economic and cultural well-being of people in Wales.
CECA Wales responded to the consultation on behalf of members. The response is attached.
Ed Evans
Director CECA Wales
March 2021
A new manifesto for civil engineering contractors in Wales
As we approach the end of 2020 (can’t come soon enough for most people I guess!) and we look towards 2021 it’s time to review the year and what we will be focusing on for the year to come.
But, when we consider plans for the future, we can’t forget the impacts of politics either and, next May, we will have elections for The Senedd. We have been working with our partners across the sector to shape our “key asks” of the next Welsh Government and have developed this bilingual “manifesto” for CECA Wales
The document has been issued to all Members of the Senedd and to those developing the political manifestos. I have also met with leading politicians over the last few months to make sure that they understand the challenges facing our sector, what support we need from them and what outcomes we could better achieve with that support.
Our “key asks” are based on the following priority areas :
No surprises I guess but we’ve set out what we would like to see politicians deliver on to make our business environment much more sustainable, productive and profitable.
Wellbeing is rightly at the heart ofthe Welsh legislative agenda as we move forward into a future shaped by the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. But how, exactly, is the Welsh Government’s vision of health, happiness and ‘prosperity for all’ to be delivered? What role does the transport infrastructure sector play in promoting healthy and active lives? We would argue a very crucial role!
This short report offers some initial thoughts across a range of infrastructure “sub-sectors” and is designed to stimulate dialogue both within the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales and between the Commission and stakeholders with an interest in the infrastructure sector. We hope that it demonstrates the broad range of infrastructure knowledge across the Alliance partners and our ability to provide expert advice.