Public Matters - June 2022

Updates include Acclimatise! You can’t afford to cop-out, Responding to Grenfell – Slow progress is better than none and more.

30 June 2022

Welcome to our Public Matters Newsletter.

This month we have:

Acclimatise! You can’t afford to cop out!

Climate change could result in local authorities seeing an increase in claims from the employees and the public. In this article we share our top 10 tips for mitigating the risk of claims.

Responding to Grenfell – Slow progress is better than none

Five years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Government has 'strengthened' fire safety guidance for new high-rise homes. Far-reaching legislation on building safety is now on the statute book; yet bereaved relatives of those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire have expressed outrage at proposals to abandon Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, a key recommendation from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Inquiry.

Construction: Gold Standard Framework – seven months on

Seven months ago, the Independent Review of Public Sector Construction Frameworks was published. Commissioned by the Cabinet Office and led by Professor David Mosey PhD, the ‘Gold Standard ’ was introduced for public sector frameworks and controls. Having consulted over 100 clients, suppliers and advisers within the sector, Mosey published his report - Constructing the Gold Standard. The report highlighted practices which lead to successful outcomes and those which do not.

The Introduction of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill by the Welsh Government

The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill was introduced by the Welsh Government this month. The Bill is intended to complement other legislation, specifically the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act and provides a framework for enhancing the well-being of the Welsh people by improving public services through public partnership, promoting fair work and socially responsible public procurement.

The Procurement Bill - selection, exclusion, conflict of interests and debarment

Last month, the UK Government introduced the Procurement Bill which seeks to reform the existing rules on public procurement. The Bill has had its second reading and we can expect it to come into force some time next year.

This article will take you through some of the proposed changes on selection, exclusion, conflict of interests and debarment in the procurement process.

Levelling up – the role of public and private partnerships

With aims to level up the UK, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to flourish, public and private partnerships will be critical success factor. In this article, we look at the role that private finance can play in the performance of a local area and how it might link to regeneration. We also consider the role of central government and regional mayors.

Sustainability in construction

The climate emergency has reached a point where real and substantial damage is being caused to both the planet and society. There has been a shift from planning and theorising the most effective solutions, to a phase where practical, efficient, and sustainable solutions are required at speed.

Bill to establish an “Office of the Whistleblower”

In 2019 the All-Parliamentary Group recommended that an independent office be introduced to provide amongst other things, anonymous reporting and financial security to whistleblowers. The report found that 42% of internal fraud is identified by whistleblowers and the current UK regulatory framework, which is complicated and fragmented fails to provide comprehensive protection for them.

A new Modern Slavery Bill

Details of the Modern Slavery Bill have not yet been published, but the announcement in the Queen’s Speech is consistent with the Government’s response to a consultation exercise on changes to the Modern Slavery Act 2015’s transparency in supply chains provisions.

Welsh Human Rights Bill: A parting of the ways?

The Welsh Government has published a report setting out a blueprint for devolution of justice and policing in Wales that pulls no punches in making the case for taking greater control from Westminster.