A NEW initiative is set to boost the region's construction industry.

The Rethinking Construction NE Network brings together clients, contractors, professional bodies and suppliers in an association to serve the needs of the local construction community by advocating its principles to both clients and contractors.

Originally proposed by the 1998 Egan Report, Rethinking Construction provides a banner under which the industry, its clients and the Government are working together to improve UK construction performance.

The report argued that the industry had to change the way it worked in several key areas to avoid continuing to underachieve. Large public sector projects were over-budget and late, site workers' time was unproductive, profits and investment in training was low and the industry generally suffered from an extremely poor image.

Traditional practices of equating value with lowest cost tendering had created an atmosphere of confrontation and litigation in which only the legal profession was flourishing.

However, it is now accepted that the movement cannot be imposed from above, as only the very largest national-based organisations will be involved.

Therefore 12 regional Rethinking Construction Centres have been set up to keep the programme going for the long term.

Catriona Lingwood, Rethinking Construction national network manager, who is based at Durham, said: "At the Rethinking Construction national conference, held in Durham in December, the NE Network revealed their vision for the region's construction industry.

"What has been done so far is to set up an interim board consisting of representatives of the regional development agency, local authorities, clients, professional bodies, contractors and suppliers."

She said: "There has been confusion over the role of the various bodies involved in the sector and the network will now become an umbrella organisation for these bodies in which individual companies and organisations can realise the benefits of working within the principles of Rethinking Construction.

"We will be offering very practical help to member companies who can gain access to a huge range of information and contacts which can bring real benefits to their operations.

"It's very important that Rethinking Construction isn't perceived to be just for large national companies.

"Any SME can realise the benefits of working within these principles and work more efficiently.

"For the movement to succeed, however, we need to attract real grass roots support and will shortly be embarking on a major communications campaign to drive home the benefits to the region's industry."