CIC Cascade

22 May 2003

Transportation N/SVQs are updated – Nationwide consultation May –June 2003

Standards of Competence to Improve Performance

Are you an Investor in People?

‘Users’ Guide to Adjudication’

The Planning Inspectorate
Consistency Guidelines and Rights of Way Advice Notes

Transportation N/SVQs are updated – Nationwide consultation May –June 2003

An important development in the field of qualifications for professionals working in transportation infrastructure in the UK is about to enter its consultation phase.The first NVQs/SVQs relating to the transportation sector were accredited during the mid 1990s. They included levels 3, 4 and 5, and covered transport planning, traffic management & systems engineering, highway maintenance, technical support and road safety. The revision of these awards is now due, and the Construction Industry Council (CIC) has been overseeing the development work. The occupational standards – the building blocks of NVQs/SVQs – have been modernised and simplified. The key improvement has been to replace the original suites of separate awards with a single “core and options” matrix at each of the levels 3, 4 and 5. This covers the roles in the public and private sectors from technician and supervisor to senior management and professional practice. The new structure allows candidates to build NVQs/SVQs around areas of common competence, to suit their own individual personal development.Mike Kendrick, Chairman of the Transportation Vocational Group responsible for these awards, said: “The transportation community recognises the importance of an integrated approach to qualifications which will embrace the different disciplines within the sector. These new NVQs/SVQs, with their “core and options” structure, are a major advance that will provide practitioners and employers with the awards and recognition that they need.”Andy Costain, project manager for the Transport Planning Skills Initiative (TPSI), said: “Transport planners have no natural professional home. They are multi-skilled, they come from a wide range of disciplines, and many of them are not engineers. These new NVQs/SVQs can provide a valuable benchmark for competent transport planners. We would encourage all those in the sector to get involved in this important consultation.”

The consultation will take place during May and June this year. It will be electronically based; access is either by individual email, and/or via the relevant sector websites. If you would like to take part, please send your email address to Patricia Ryan at pryan@cic.org.uk.

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Standards of Competence to Improve Performance

The Construction Industry Council has published a report summarising the findings and conclusions of the recently completed Standards of Competence to Improve Performance (SCIP) project. SCIP pushes forward the Government and industry’s plan to improve the performance of the industry and the competence of its people. It focused on how Occupational Standards could be used to improve performance by introducing them into procurement processes along with managing the culture and people issues that affect industry performance.The project aimed to identify potential improvements to industry performance by integrating the industry’s established framework of occupational standards into the performance requirements of design/construction projects. It explored the relationship between project processes, outcomes and the relevant competence of design/construction team members, together with team composition. It identified the case for enabling clients and others to establish design and construction and supply teams with the appropriate range of competencies to meet project needs.

The key findings of the project were that:

• Benefits were identified for project outcomes of using Occupational Standards and a competence based approach to ‘people issues’ particularly in recruitment, retention, assessment, training and development
• Respodents identified the potential for gaining competitive advantage and enhancing quality through the use of Occupational Standards
• The correlation between the competence of project teams and project outcomes, and the provision of a systematic means for improving competencies to meet project needs, has been firmly established
• Procurement strategies have been shown to be a driver for promoting the use of competencies
• The benefits of using Occupational Standards are closely relate to the principles and indicators of the Investors in People standard, the Respect for People KPI’s and achieving a qualified workforce

The report suggests ways in which organisations can implement this framework into their workplace. You can download a pdf copy of the summarised report .

Are you an Investor in People?

Does your organisation have, or is it working towards Investors in People status? Would you like publicity for your organisation in a future Investors in People publication targeting the construction industry? CIC are looking for companies holding or working towards Investors in People status to take part in mini-case studies. If you can spare an hour for a telephone interview please contact Catherine Moss: email cmoss@cic.org.uk or telephone 020 7399 7404. For further information about Investors in People visit www.iipuk.co.uk

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‘Users’ Guide to Adjudication’

The Construction Umbrella Bodies (CUB) Adjudication Task Group launched their new publication ‘Users’ Guide to Adjudication’ 372kb (download a pdf copy) on Friday 16th May at the Institution Civil Engineers. This is the second publication as a result of a review by the CUB Adjudication Task Group of the legislation which came into force in May 1998. The results of this review found that there was a call for greater clarification of key contentious areas of the adjudication process. The first publication ‘Guidance for Adjudicators’ 734kb (download a pdf copy) was launched in June 2002. 'Users’ Guide to Adjudication' provides a general introduction to adjudication in the context of construction contracts. It explains what adjudication is, helps establish whether the reader has the right to take a dispute to adjudication, and discusses whether there is a need for professional help. It sets out the steps which need to be carried out to start an adjudication, and how to respond to the receipt of a notice of adjudication. It explains what happens during the adjudication process; what can be expected from the adjudicator’s decision and the options available once the adjudicator has made his decision – and who pays the cost. Copies of this free guide are available from the Construction Industry Council. If you would like to order a copy please email publications@cic.org.uk or telephone 020 7399 7407.

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The Planning Inspectorate
Consistency Guidelines and Rights of Way Advice Notes In response to concerns that there is a lack of consistency between the line taken by different Inspectors in dealing with similar pieces of evidence, the Planning Inspectorate have now published Consistency Guidelines for Wildlife and Countryside Act Definitive Map Modification Order casework. The Guidelines take a common view on the meaning of various types of evidence, providing Inspectors with a common starting point when considering the evidence in front of them. The Guidelines are not intended to bind Inspectors, but they do provide a benchmark for dealing with the different sources and types of evidence produced in these cases. The Guidelines will be subject to review and amendment over time, particularly in response to decisions in the Courts.The Guidelines do not replace the Rights of Way Advice Notes which are issued to Inspectors. While Guidelines set out the Inspectors’ benchmark for treatment of various types of evidence, Advice Notes provide guidance on the latest developments in rights of way law and practice.The Guidelines are now available to the public and can be found on:
www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk.
Hard copies can be obtained by contacting Mrs Rachael Sayers on 0117 372 8896 or Rachael.sayers@pins.gsi.gov.ukThe planning Inspectorate has also amended in the last few weeks Advice notes 9 and 10. Advice Note 9 provides a general background to Inspectors on various types of opposed rights of way orders which are submitted to the Secretary of State (SoS) for confirmation. It seeks to provide information on relevant legislation, and it should only be regarded as a basic guide to the law on public rights of way. Advice Note 10 explains the Planning Inspectorate’s views on the judgement in Marriott v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in so far as it decided what evidence may be heard at an enquiry or hearing held under paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 15 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.This note is best read in conjunction with a copy of Schedule 15 to the 1981 Act. The Planning Inspectorate also published this month Advice Note 16, which deals with widths on definitive map, public path and rail crossing orders. Revision to Advice Note 13 is under way and amendments will be announced soon. The information contained in the Advice Notes sets out the Inspectorate’s guidance to Inspectors on the approach to be adopted in dealing with Rights of Way casework – they have no legal force and do not provide a definitive interpretation of the law.

Advice Notes can be found on the above link, and hard copies can be obtained from Rachael Sayers on the same details.

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