Celebrating Excellence

After a fantastic event celebrating excellence at the National Landscape Awards in December 2023, we have already launched the BALI Awards 2024. Make sure you don’t miss out on the opportunity to enter your schemes and help us celebrate excellence in the industry at the largest and most revered Landscape Awards ceremony in Europe.

Please see page 13 for more on the 2024 National Landscape Awards.

How is the construction industry changing in 2024?

Things look positive

The UK construction industry is on the cusp of a significant resurgence in 2024, with an expected growth of 12% compared to the previous year. This promising forecast is largely attributed to an anticipated upturn in the UK economy, which will likely foster increased consumer and business confidence. Consequently, improved household spending and renewed faith in market stability are set to stimulate activity across various sectors within the industry.

A rebound in construction output

After a drop in output during 2023, one of the construction trends for 2024 is expected to be a resurgence of 1.1%. While this is modest and not on a level with the levels from 2022, it is nevertheless a sign of positive change for the coming year.

Major education investment

The highest rate of growth this year is likely to fall in the education sector. This is largely due to the Department of Education’s plan to rebuild hundreds of schools over the next decade. This is set to include refurbishment works to over 800 academies, colleges, voluntary aid schools and more.

This injection of funding will yield positive results not only for education trusts up and down the country but also for the landscape industry as it continues to grow throughout the coming year.

The Association continues to push the GoLandscape careers initiative with the Landscape Skills and Careers Manager and Officer now in place. The initiative is continuing its objective of pushing to gain traction in careers advice and bringing and training new people as well as upskilling the existing workforce. We have been reconnecting with the Ambassador network and reconfirming those that wish to continue to support the initiative by attending careers fairs, schools and colleges to demonstrate what a great industry we have to work within. If being an Ambassador is of interest to you and you would be happy to help and support GoLandscape careers, then please e-mail cheryl.ranner@bali.org.uk

I would like to thank those of you that have confirmed your ongoing commitment, and for the support that you have shown by being out there to spread the word.

Regional AGM’s

At the time of writing, we are in the middle of holding our member Regional AGMs, and we have had some great events running alongside the meetings with great speakers at amazing venues. In addition, this year we have Sharon Kennett running part of the event. Sharon is working on our behalf and has supported the Board in developing the new strategy and has been tasked with understanding and developing the membership journey. We have been canvassing your opinions on your membership to help with this process, as well as updating you on what we have been doing to date along these lines.

Francesca Bienek, Regional Support Officer continues to work hard with the regional committee members and their respective Chairs and Vice-Chairs to support the development of a programme of events and activities for the year.

Check out the AGMs and other events on the Association website at: bali.org.uk/events

I look forward to seeing you at these events. Don’t miss out on being able to meet with your peers and have your say on your membership and its benefits, or simply come along to find out more if you’re not maximising your membership and the great opportunities to promote your business, celebrate its excellence and be an industry leader.

Membership renewal (online)

It is once again that time of year when we ask our members to renew their annual membership. By the time this edition of Landscape News hits, the deadline to complete your renewal will be looming31 March 2024. It has been a solid start for renewals, and it seems that the online renewal process has been received well, with many of you taking the opportunity to complete the whole exercise online, which is a much improved and streamlined process.

Thank you to those who have renewed, your membership will resume uninterrupted. For those members that have not yet responded to date, we look forward to receiving your renewal in the next couple of weeks and I look forward to continuing working with you, as well as on your behalf.

If you are not clear about what you are eligible for as part of your membership and its benefits, please feel free to pick up the phone and speak to one of the membership team at Landscape House, who will be happy to guide you through all the great opportunities that are available to you as a member.

We have had members confirm that they have been able to add as much as £24,000 back on their bottom line by utilising just one of their benefits, Now that has to be worth checking out, doesn’t it?

Thank you for your continued support for the Association.

New strategy

As part of our continuing work on the strategy moving forward, we have been working on reviewing the membership journey as well as embedding the values throughout the organisation with the internal team at Landscape House, the BALI Board and with focus groups of members.

The work on the membership journey continues and has been using focus groups to gain feedback from members including your Regional Chairs and other groups such as the BALI National Contractors Forum.

The next stage, which will be nearly completed by the time you read this, is to run sessions at each of the regional AGMs. This, coupled with the feedback from the membership survey, will enable us to really focus on what is important to you, our member, and look at how we can support your endeavours and lead the industry.

Kind regards and once again, thank you for your continued support.

Wayne Grills