As a second lockdown for England looms, the Construction Leadership Council has confirmed that the construction industry can stay open.
Following an emergency meeting of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), which includes the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF), Andy Mitchell, the council's Co-Chair has released a letter confirming the news.
The lockdown announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday 31st October is due to take place in England from Thursday 5th November.
In the letter, Mitchell, states: "The Prime Minister has explicitly said that construction and manufacturing should continue. The latest Government guidance has reiterated this, and that workers in these industries should continue to travel to work and attend their workplace, including where this involves working in other people’s homes."
He later adds, highlighting the importance of the sector to the economy: "We have demonstrated that the entire industry depends on the flow of money and materials, and that it is essential that product manufacturers, builders merchants and distributors keep operating so that we have the materials to build and repair our homes, hospitals and services. It is imperative that this happens."
To ensure that the construction industry operates safely, the CLC has developed a range of guidance available on its website and relating to social distancing, use of PPE and face coverings, the safe operation of site canteens, the safe operation of builders merchants, the use of public and private transport to work, among other subjects.
The furlough scheme (Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme), which was to be terminated at the end of October, has been extended to the whole country until at least the end of November 2020.
-> Re: England Lockdown – A Message to the Construction Industry
