New chair of Infrastructure Client Group Andy Mitchell plans a “renewed attack on the drivers of high costs and barriers to innovation”.

Thames Tideway Tunnel chief executive Andy Mitchell today took over from HS2’s Simon Kirby as chair of the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG) charged with delivering Infrastructure Minister Lord Deighton ambition to continue to drive down the cost of infrastructure delivery in the UK. 

Deighton announced his refreshed ‘Infrastructure Cost’ programme this morning at the gathering in the Institution of Civil Engineers which h said “sets out a series of projects and actions to change the behaviour of government, clients and industry.”

“The Infrastructure Client Group continues to provide a much needed forum that brings together key infrastructure organisations with common objectives and plans to improve the way we deliver infrastructure.” Andy Mitchell.

The programme builds on the Infrastructure Cost Review process which was started by IUK in 2010. The Treasury update report in July this year identified savings already achieved under the programme of 15% across infrastructure sectors, equivalent to around £3.4bn. 

“The Infrastructure Client Group continues to provide a much needed forum that brings together key infrastructure organisations with common objectives and plans to improve the way we deliver infrastructure,” said Mitchell. 

“With the benefit of a clear work programme I look forward to working with the members of the group to ensure we are doing this in a consistent and transparent way across sectors.”

As the new chair of the ICG, Mitchell will lead the joint Government/industry programme charged with driving down the costs of infrastructure delivery

Launched to an audience of over 100 senior executives from government, infrastructure clients and suppliers, the new programme of work will address four key themes: 

• Improving pipeline visibility and certainty; 
• Improving project initiation and procurement; 
• Whole life planning and cost control; and 
• Supply chain skills and construction delivery.

“The recently published IUK Cost Review report set out the government’s plans for a renewed attack on the drivers of high costs and barriers to innovation.” Lord Deighton

Announcing plans for the new programme, Lord Deighton reiterated his belief that there was still a great deal more to be done to improve productivity and reduce the cost of UK infrastructure.

“The recently published IUK Cost Review report set out the government’s plans for a renewed attack on the drivers of high costs and barriers to innovation,” he said.

“The Infrastructure Client Group’s work programme will be an essential instrument in continuing to support cost reduction and improved delivery. The group has already achieved far more, far quicker as infrastructure leaders working together and I welcome this continued collaboration.”

Government has also announced that Dr Diana Montgomery, chief executive of the Construction Products Association, would to chair a new infrastructure Supply Chain Capacity and Skills group. 

This group, which includes representatives from Government departments, supply chain organisations and skills bodies will provide expert guidance and work with government to recommend interventions that build capability and capacity and help mitigate inflationary pressures in the UK infrastructure sector.

“Over the next decade we expect to see record levels of investment in the UK’s infrastructure,” said Dr Montgomery. 

“It is in all of our interests to ensure that the costs of delivering this work are kept under control. I welcome the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the sector, ensuring that as an industry we deliver solutions to important issue.”