The government has restructured the Construction Leadership Council, reducing the number of members and drawing representatives from leading construction firms including Laing O’Rourke and Bouygues UK, as well as Ministers.

The Council was created in 2013 to work between industry and government to identify and deliver actions to improve efficiency, skills and growth in UK construction.

Skills Minister Nick Boles, who co-chairs the council, said: "The construction industry recently saw its 24th month of consecutive year on year growth, and is key to our plan for increasing Britain's productivity and prosperity. We will work closely with the Construction Leadership Council, with its top business expertise, to deliver that plan and drive growth for the sector and wider economy."

The number of members has been reduced from 30 to 12.

Council co-chair David Higgins said: "I'm delighted the government has responded to calls for a smaller, more business-focused Construction Leadership Council."

The Council's remit is to build on the work of the government's chief construction adviser, working closely with Ministers to ensure the industry's concerns and ambitions are addressed. As a result, the role of chief construction adviser will not be continued after the current incumbent Peter Hansford's tenure ends in November.

New Council members include:

  • Madani Sow (Bouygues UK)
  • Anna Stewart (Laing O’Rourke)
  • Mike Putnam (Skanska)
  • Andrew Wolstenholme (Crossrail).

They will be joined by the chair of UKTI's Construction Advisory Group, a volume housebuilder, a supply chain small/medium business and the Council co-Chairs: Skills Minister Nick Boles and Sir David Higgins, executive chair of High Speed 2.

The Construction Products Association said it was disappointed that the new Council will no longer represent the whole construction supply chain, as it does not have an industry leader from construction product manufacturing or distribution.

Dr Diana Montgomery, chief executive of the CPA, said: "We are delighted to see BIS have acknowledged the Strategic Forum and its importance as the industry voice. However, if government is serious about speaking to industry about tackling the most important issues in construction, particularly productivity, then it needs to ensure that the whole construction supply chain is an important part of strategic discussions and decision making. Construction product manufacturing and distribution account for over one-third of the construction activity so it is remiss not to include an industry leader from this part of construction on the Construction Leadership Council."