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JCT Interviews…Victoria Peckett

Partner, head of construction, CMS-CMNO Chair, JCT Drafting Sub-Committee In a special edition of ‘JCT Interviews…’, we talk once again with Victoria Peckett, chair of the JCT Drafting Sub-Committee (DSC), to update us on JCT’s current work and what we can expect from the next edition of the JCT contract suite. JCT: Victoria, thanks for joining us again. You are about to embark on your next term as chair of the DSC. What do you find enjoyable/rewarding about the role, what are the biggest challenges?…

JCT Young Professionals Group

A focus group within JCT for professionals within the first ten years of their career, as well as students, whose members are interested in elevating their professional profile, expanding their industry network and connecting with peers, and giving back to the industry through fostering a long-term engagement with JCT. A platform for young professionals across different sectors of the industry to network and share experiences and ideas in an informal way. A link between young professionals and industry experts for the sharing of knowledge and…

Karen Kirkham appointed as new JCT chair

Karen Kirkham, who is a solicitor and head of construction at BDB Pitmans LLP, has been appointed the new chair of JCT. She is the first woman to hold the post. Karen has 30 years’ experience working with JCT contracts, advising clients from all sectors of the industry. Her clients include commercial developers, occupiers, charities, local authorities, public infrastructure companies, contractors, sub-contractors, architects, and individual householders. She has been listed as a leading construction legal practitioner in Chambers since 2008 and regularly publishes articles on…

Canopy House, Nairobi

This residential property, built for a British-raised Kenyan working for the UN, combines a mixture of renovation, extension, and smart sourcing of labour and materials to provide luxury on a budget. Key to saving costs was the use of a JCT Minor Works Building Contract with contractor’s design. The large site for this property, set in well-healed Nairobi suburb, already contained a bungalow which presented two initial challenges. Firstly, budget precluded the option to completely remove the structure and secondly, the undesirable aspect of the…

JCT welcomes publication of The Construction Playbook

The publication of the The Construction Playbook, a new guidance document released by the UK Government for public sector procurement, has been welcomed by JCT at their December 10th Council meeting. JCT is listed within the Playbook as one of the key standard form contract providers recommended for use on public sector projects. The Construction Playbook is a guidance document aimed at professionals across public sector bodies who are responsible for the planning and delivery of public work programmes and projects. The 12-chapter document sets…

Data driven culture vital to delivering benefits of Construction 4.0

Establishing a data driven culture that encompasses people, processes, and products is vital to delivering transformative benefits to the construction industry and its clients, said Dr Damien Buie, group technical director, Laing O’Rourke, in delivering the JCT Povey Lecture 2020 on Wednesday 18th November. In his presentation, ‘Safety in numbers – Resilience and Certainty Through Data’, Dr Buie described Laing O’Rourke’s own journey toward Construction 4.0 – delivering a closer alignment with clients, creating a safe working environment, and consistently delivering quality engineering solutions that…

JCT Povey Lecture 2020: Safety in Numbers – Resilience and Certainty Through Data

  JCT Povey Lecture 2020 “Safety in Numbers – Resilience and Certainty Through Data” Dr Damien Buie, group technical director, Laing O’Rourke Download presentation About the Povey Lecture The JCT Povey Lecture is an annual event at which an eminent person is invited to give their thoughts on significant matters that are relevant to the construction and property industry. The purpose of the lecture is to stimulate thought and encourage ways of continuing to improve the quality and value of construction output. The event was…

Preparing for public procurement post-Brexit

Blog Authors: Graeme Young, Partner and Shona Murphy, Associate – CMS UK The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Under the terms of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the current EU public procurement rules have continued in force in the UK during an 11 month transition period. That transition period expires on 31 December 2020. While the UK may still be able to agree a limited form of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU by the end of this year, it seems…

JCT Launches New Group for Young Professionals

JCT has launched the JCT Young Professionals Group (YPG), a new cross-industry networking initiative for construction professionals. The aim of the YPG is to provide a focus group for construction professionals within the first ten years of their career, those that are “young in the industry” regardless of age, and students, who are interested in elevating their professional profile, expanding their industry network and connecting with peers, and giving back to the industry through fostering a long-term engagement with JCT. In its role as a…

Government Initiatives Create Opportunities for Businesses and Homeowners

Blog Author: Peter Hibberd The construction industry, in keeping with most other industries, is going through one of the most challenging periods known to those currently employed. In April this year, construction activity, according to the ONS, fell by 40% month on month for new works and around 38% for repair works. Not surprising given lockdown, but a degree of miscommunication meant that many contractors stopped working when they could have continued, albeit with restrictions. As we emerge from lockdown, and business takes on a…