In the ‘JCT Interviews…’ series we shine the spotlight on some of the key people who are involved with or give their time to support JCT, showing the diverse range of disciplines across the construction industry that our members represent and the collaborative work that contributes to the development of our contracts. We look at how our interviewees contribute to JCT specifically and gain their views on the wider industry and JCT’s role within it.
Claire Hughes, MRICS
Member, JCT Council – LGA representative
Member, JCT Drafting Sub-Committee
Current job title and company/position: Senior Quantity Surveyor at Strategic Land and Property Team, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
Bio: I’ve spent most of my career working at Solihull MBC as a client-side quantity surveyor. It’s a role I really enjoy, and in particular I like working on and helping to deliver projects. In addition to the typical duties and responsibilities, my role has developed a contract, procurement and social value bias.
JCT: Claire, how did you first come to be involved with JCT? Why do you think it is important to be involved?
CH: I was nominated to represent the Local Government Association at JCT Council and Drafting Sub-Committee by Peter Yates (NACF) and Linda Wilson (Solihull MBC). It’s a huge privilege for me to be involved and to represent and champion Local Government and in turn the rate payer. I was nominated alongside my colleague Damien Donnelly (Acivico), with whom I also work on the Constructing West Midlands framework.
JCT: In your time in being involved with JCT, are there any specific projects, areas of interest or activities that you have enjoyed being part of?
CH: Generally, at meetings it’s insightful to listen and understand the position of the different college representatives and see how these perspectives are brought together to reach consensus view. Specifically, I enjoyed working with the Drafting Sub-Committee and Council to produce the new Target Cost Contract.
JCT: Do you have any personal career highlights?
CH: Yes, I really enjoy working with RICS as an APC and AssocRICS Assessor, it’s very rewarding. Also, gaining MRICS status and achieving a Diploma in Adjudication were huge professional achievements for me.
JCT: What are you most proud of about the construction industry as a whole and where do you think it most needs to improve?
CH: Construction is a wonderful profession; every day is different. We get to be a part of the construction and refurbishment of buildings that make a difference to people’s everyday lives. In terms of what needs to be improved, I think the way contracts are run, specifically better and more timely flow of information and record keeping.
JCT: What do you see as the main challenges for the construction industry over the next five years?
CH: As a Local Government Officer, I’m concerned about the availability of funding within the public sector and the effect it may have on capital projects going forward. Skills shortages remain a persistent problem for the industry, applicable to both professional and trade roles. We need to find a way to attract and retain the best talent. The continued drive for sustainability and net zero will offer a big challenge. There are drivers for change such as the move towards a whole life costing approach and the JCT 2024 contracts mandating contractors to be more sustainable. However, many of the products and materials used in construction still contain large amounts of embodied carbon.
JCT: Does JCT have a wider role to play in the industry beyond producing contracts?
CH: By championing best practice and collaboration in the 2024 editions, JCT can help promote and further embed best working practices within the construction industry naturally, so they become the cultural norm.
Further to this, as demonstrated by the wide representation of stakeholders on JCT Council and Drafting Sub-Committee (including Clients, Contractors, Sub-Contractors and Specialists), JCT offers a voice for the wider industry, providing contracts suitable for all parties and with balanced risk.
The continued digital roll out of contracts via the JCT OnDemand service, will help drive change to digitise the industry.
Going forward there is an opportunity for JCT to help the industry address skills shortages by incorporating clauses for solutions such as Social Value and apprentices.