The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has formalised its opposition to a Department for Work and Pensions proposal to merge the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB). Responding to the Government's consultation regarding the future of industry training boards, the trade association cautioned that the amalgamation could compromise the representation of small building firms unless substantial structural reforms are implemented.

According to the FMB, there is a lack of clear evidence indicating that a single, consolidated training board would enhance skills outcomes for small and micro businesses. The organization expressed concern that the requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which constitute the majority of the construction sector, could be marginalised within a larger, more centralised entity.

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The FMB maintained that structural reform is essential irrespective of the merger's outcome. Should the Government move forward with the plans, the FMB insists the newly formed body must be structured to provide smaller businesses with a more robust influence and offer improved value for levy-paying employers. Recommended measures include formally incorporating Prescribed Organisations into the governance framework, enhancing accountability and transparency concerning decision-making and levy expenditure, and establishing a more collaborative, industry-focused culture.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, commented: "Small building companies are not convinced this merger is being driven by what is best for them or for construction skills more broadly. The Government has not made a clear case for how merging CITB and ECITB would improve outcomes for small builders, and there is a real risk that the voice of smaller firms will be diluted even further in a larger organisation with the introduction of large multinational engineering firms."

Berry continued: "If the Department for Work and Pensions is determined to press ahead, it must ensure the new organisation is built around the reality of the construction sector. That means giving representative bodies a formal place in governance, being far more transparent about how decisions are made and how levy funding is spent and shifting to a culture that listens to and works alongside the industry. Without those changes, small builders will once again be asked to pay in without getting the support they need back out."