Welcome to this week's e-news.

With many of you breaking up shortly for the Christmas and New Year holidays this will be the final CENE Newsletter for 2011.

On Tuesday we held The Environmental Practitioner Level 3 Workshop with The Environmental Academy. There will be 4 additional workshops of the course in the early part of 2012 and further courses planned too, so if you would like more information about the topics covered, please email Leanne.

G4C (Generation for Change) North East meeting was held yesterday morning at Mansell Construction. The aims and objectives for G4C North East were discussed along with what the group would like to achieve and finally the launch event which will happen in February. If you are interested or would like more information about G4C please email Leanne.

In January we are quite busy with events and a number of new services, so please keep an eye out for those in the newsletter and on the website. We have 'How to Write Winning Bids'; 'Is there any funding available - debt recovery'; 'Controlling Fumes and Silica Dust'; 'Capability Building'; 'Project time management' and the launch of the Built Environment International Network.

The newsletter will resume on the 5^th January 2012 and we look forward to engaging with you in our new programme then.

It just remains for us to say that we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and very prosperous New Year!

Best Wishes

Catriona & Leanne

Constructing Excellence in the North East Club Membership is a forum enabling people from across the Built Environment to get together to learn and share best practice. CENE currently has approximately 150 members and for those existing members we are offering a 'Recommend a Friend' promotion.

By 'recommending a friend' to the CENE Club membership, you will receive 10% discount to any one event over the course of the year.

A few of the membership benefits include:

• Discounted entry to all CENE events and free entry to Club events
• CPD Certificates for colleagues which attend CENE events
• Club Membership certificate
• Listing and hyperlink to your website via CENE website
• And many more!

There are 3 levels of annual membership available, Individual £150+VAT / Corporate £300+VAT and Large Corporate £450+VAT.

SALE!

Any organisation who signs up to become a member before the Christmas and New Year break will not be charged the one off joining fee of £50+VAT 

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please contact the CENE team.

Seaham Safety Services Limited are pleased to announce that we have an amount of Train to Gain Funding available allowing us to deliver NVQ's completely FREE of CHARGE, providing that the candidates meet the specified eligibility criteria.  The NVQ Qualifications that are covered by this funding are:

NVQ Level 2
- General Construction Operations (Certificate or Diploma)
- Interior Systems
- Maintenance Operations
- Painting and Decorating
- Plastering
- Shopfitting
- Timber Framing
- Wood Occupation

NVQ Level 3
- Construction Contracting Operations (Buying, Estimating, General, Planning, Surveying)
- Painting & Decorating
- Occupational Work Supervision
- Site Supervision
- Wood Occupations

NVQ Level 6's (previously Level 4's)
- Construction Contracting Operations (Buying, Estimating, General, Planning, Surveying)
- Site Management

To access the funding the candidates must not hold any previous Level 2 Qualifications or higher.

This funding is limited to 20 places and will be allocated on a first come basis. 

If you would like any further information or to check candidate eligibility and confirm places for this funding please contact Jackie Johnson on 0844 225 0575

Date: Thursday 12th January 2012
Time: 8.30am - 1.00pm
Venue: Allergate House, Belmont Business Park, Durham
Cost: £95+VAT CENE Members / £145+VAT Non Members (cancellation policy is within 48 hours notice)

CENE are pleased to offer another opportunity to attend the hugely popular Winning Bids workshop. Aimed at construction contractors and consultants keen to access the public sector market, we will provide particular emphasis on the opportunities within the NEPO frameworks.

The session will be led and facilitated by experienced Construction professionals, from within the Constructing Excellence Movement, who have an extensive background of supporting both Procuring Clients and Bidders in the OJEU and procurement process. With over ten years of construction industry experience the team will be able to provide an insight into the Public Sector client, helping bidders to understand how to add value to their tender submissions.

The workshop session will comprise presentations, mentoring and interactive sessions and real life examples, looking at the demanding detail, all modern construction clients require from their procurement exercises and processes.

Comments from previous events include:

- "Very experienced people with good practical advice"

- "detailed and relevant, the speakers caught peoples attention and got the point across"

- "Very useful - I now feel confident we can submit a winning bid"

"As part of our commitment to support competitive businesses that are capable of growing in the North East, by understanding how to sell to the wider public sector, NEPO are pleased to support this valuable event" Quote from Pamela Holmes, Project Manager at NEPO.

To register for this event please contact Leanne McAngus on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk

Date: 17^th January 2012
Time: 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Venue: TBC
Cost: Free to CENE Members / £25+VAT Non Members (Cancellation policy is within 48 hours notice)

An uncertain economic outlook has meant tough times for those operating in the built environment. Contractors and Sub contractors often have to work under a variety of industry contracts and unconventional term and securing payment for work completed can be difficult.

Each Year Businesses lose thousands as a result of bad debts which directly hits company performance. This evening seminar will look at how to recover debts from organisations you work with, how to access funding and solutions. 

There are three key main speakers from Hay & Kilner Solicitors, Bibby Financial Services and Lateral Finance.

To register for this event please contact Leanne on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk. Further details will be available in January.

Date: Wednesday 18^th January 2012
Time: 8.30am - 11.00am
Venue: Allergate House, Belmont Business Park
Cost: £15+VAT Members / £35+VAT Non Members (Cancellation Policy is within 48 hours notice)

Health studies have shown an increased risk of cancer in workers employed in the stages of rubber processing which produce rubber process dust and fume. In the past, certain known carcinogens have been successfully prohibited or substituted - for example the excess of bladder cancer in the industry has been eliminated by discontinuing use of materials containing 2-naphthylamine and related chemicals.

However you still need to be vigilant and maintain a high standard of dust and fume control at rubber industry processes.

The workplace presents a challenge for any employer, regardless of the nature of their works, to provide a healthy and safe environment for their employees. One significant cause of problem is that of airborne contaminants which can come from a huge range of sources such as welding, grinding, molding and chemical processes which present a vast array of health affects and complaint.

These processes can be very easily measured against known parameters and also controlled using a variety of techniques including the installation, maintenance and monitoring of ventilation systems.

MIS Environmental will present an informative session

• Monitoring and control of these contaminants
• Legislation requirements and the need to comply with these

Natalie Wright, Health and Safety Inspector for the Health & Safety Executive will present on

• How can Silica Dust be a problem?
• Other Hazardous Substances
• Solutions to control
• RPE

If you would like to register for this event please contact Leanne on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk

Date: 19^th January 2012
Time: 8.30am - 11.00am
Venue: Allergate House, Belmont Business Park, Durham
Cost: £10+VAT Members / £20+VAT Non Members (Cancellation policy is within 48 hours notice)

Businesses need to survive - and thrive - in a world of ever-increasing demands for improved performance and profits, delivered through ever-decreasing budgets and resources.

Building capability in a cost-effective way, minimising investment whilst maximising return is the aim of all organisations - and individuals. A results-focussed, people-driven approach is needed and the 'Capability Builder' provides a unique opportunity for individuals and organisations to achieve their aspirations, through a fully supported professional development programme.

Experienced consultants Spectrum Consulting will outline how the 'Capability Builder' approach can deliver:

• A workforce equipped to meet their individual and your organisations' needs
• A training and professional development programme that is clearly focussed on delivering defined personal and business objectives, rather than simply following the current trend
• Self-sustaining professional development, with reduced costs and reliance on external consultants and other interventions
• Continually evolving professional capability to keep employees and the services they provide 'fit-for-purpose' in a changing marketplace
• Clear individual profiles to guide deployment of the right people at the right time, allowing  effective team-building and team development

The presentation will explain how you can benefit from:

• Clearly defined aspirations, audit of current capabilities and targeted support to close any knowledge or skills gaps
• Cost effective, online support and management of individualised professional development by people with a passion for working with employers who share this commitment 
• A focussed approach to professional development with people taking greater responsibility for their own learning and achievements
• A unique tool to assess current knowledge and skills, and to monitor and evaluate how well individuals and the wider workforce progress in line with defined targets
• A flexible product and range of optional services tailored to your needs, delivered by experienced professionals with expertise in construction, property and project management, coaching and professional development.

The event will be hosted by Spectrum Consulting, a local company providing a range of business support services and professional development programmes. For more information contact enquiries@spectrumconsult.co.uk or visit www.spectrumconsult.co.uk

Speakers:
Neil Reed (BSc MRICS) is a Chartered Surveyor with over 20 years post-qualification experience in the property and construction sector, managing a number of organisations in a variety of board-level positions, developing new and growing businesses locally, nationally and overseas.

Ian Smith (BSc MSc FRICS MAPM CIOB PGCED) is a vastly experienced consultant and published author, delivering training programmes to major construction, engineering and property clients, lecturing across the UK, Europe, the Middle and Far East and advising both academic and professional institutions including the Association of Project Management.

Ian Stafford (BEd MEd) is a hugely experienced consultant and published author, providing training, assessment, coaching and mentoring to a range of organisations across the UK, lecturing and advising a number of academic and professional bodies, including national sports councils, national sports development agencies and governing bodies of sport .

To register please contact Leanne McAngus on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk

Date: 26^th January 2012
Time: 8.30am - 11.00am
Venue: Allergate House, Belmont Business Park, Durham
Cost: £10+VAT Members / £20+VAT Non Members (Cancellation policy is within 48 hours notice)

In these difficult times, every organisation needs to find ways of improving performance and results. In our projects-based industry, the way we mange time is currently a significant failing and an opportunity that is currently being missed.

In an industry suffering from reduced budgets, poor procurement policies, skills shortages and  the further erosion of already slim profit margins, gasping such an opportunity could be the difference between success and failure, thriving or just surviving, perhaps even surviving or not!

Experienced specialists from Spectrum Consulting and Athena Project Services will outline how an effective method of  'Managing Time in Projects' can deliver:

• Increased revenue, reduced costs and improved profits
• Maximised resource efficiency and productivity
• Elimination of lost time and contractual issues
• Elimination of acceleration and overrun costs
• Elimination of the cost of contract claims and legal fees
• Proof of entitlement and secured monies owed
• Increased capabilities, improved performance, enhanced reputation and customer retention

Since increased costs and disputes are principally centred on time, good project time management is an obvious essential. It is crystal clear that a real problem exists, and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has taken a leadership role in examining and analysing just why that is. The CIOB has conducted research, analysed it carefully and compiled a range of good advice about the power of best practices.

The presentation will build on the research conducted by the CIOB and the best practice guide that has now been produced to offer direct action for your organisation. This includes the credential structures currently being established and the supporting range of professional development services now available. Clarity will be provided on how organisations can benefit from a understanding:

 - The problem:

What's the scale of problem across the industry at large and more specifically what's the scale of the problem in your business?

 - The opportunity:

What would it mean to your business if your projects were all delivered on time?

 - How to address the problem and the opportunity:

What's being done to correct project time management problems in your business and across the industry at large?

 - What assistance is available:

Going forward, how would you begin to address the problems towards the most value-added solutions?

Speakers:

Neil Reed is Managing Director of Spectrum Consulting is a local company of experienced specialists providing results-focused, hands-on business support, professional development and executive search recruitment.

David Tyerman is Managing Director of Athena Project Services, a provider of assessment and training services for project planning, scheduling and project controls aligned to the CIOB's Project Time Management credential scheme.

To register please contact Leanne on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk

"Thinking Globally, to Grow Locally"

Date: 31^st January 2012
Time: 8.30am - 12.00noon
Venue: TBC 
 
With the North East Built Environment not booming, International opportunities are a way to develop and grow your business.  There are those we know who have taken the leap, those who are considering it and those who would not know where to start.  Constructing Excellence with the support of Cundall and UKTI are therefore launching a new networking group for everyone with international aspirations. 

The launch event will start with a morning of talks from various organisations who can help and give advice on International opportunities plus a case study from sponsors Cundall talking about their international experiences. 

Following the launch a bi-monthly event will allow those within the built environment to explore, discuss and share international experiences and opportunities. 

Gordon Reid, Partner at Cundall commented:
"Many companies in the Construction sector are looking further afield for new business opportunities. By collaborating and sharing knowledge, North East companies can win new business overseas to the benefit of our local operations. Cundall have developed from a local business into an international consultancy firm. We are keen to meet likeminded companies and work together to build international relationships right here in the North East."

Other speakers from the morning will include: UKTI and Spectrum Consulting.

To register for this event please contact Leanne on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk

Date: Friday 11^th May 2012
Time: 7.00pm - 1.00am
Venue: Newcastle Gosforth Park Marriott Hotel  
Cost: £85+VAT CENE Members / £95+VAT Non Members, tables of 10/12 are available upon request.

Held every year in May, the Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards is a celebration of everything the North East Built Environment has to be proud of.  Winners are selected across various categories including Innovation, Integration & Collaborative Working, Value, Contract of the Year, Consultant of the Year and Sustainability. Next year we anticipate that the awards will be the biggest and most exciting yet!

Ian Storer, Director Corepeople Recruitment said:

"The Constructing Excellence Awards have built a reputation as one of the must-attend events in the North East construction sector. It is a fantastic event for celebrating what is good about our industry, and we are delighted to be associated with this prestigious event."

Please contact Leanne on 0191 374 0233 or leanne@cene.org.uk to request a booking form.

Architects & Consultants

http://tinyurl.com/87tdxnx

North Tyneside Council (the Council) is looking to procure work with organisations in order to modernise and improve the manner in which a number of its services are delivered. To this end the Council is seeking innovative organisations to work with it to develop a flexible solution which will transfer risk to the organisations whilst incentivising them to achieve improvements over the lifetime of the contract.
It is anticipated that the scope of the services and works required will include a range of business and technical services which are set out and detailed within the attached Lots 1 and 2.