Nearly 75% of Local Authorities forced to delay or cancel construction projects since 2012

SCAPE’s Value Added Spending Monitor found that the most common cause for planned built environment projects being postponed or cancelled was suppliers’ inability to work within a Local Authority’s available budget, which has affected almost half (46%) of LAs.

The next most common reason is the lengthy timescales to secure grant funding, affecting almost a third (32%) of LAs. Other key reasons include the sale of assets falling through (impacting 23%) and suppliers not being able to meet their desired timeframes (also affecting 23%).

It also reported that more than nine in 10 LAs (91%) feel the challenge of delivering project volumes and quality services is getting ‘harder’ – including 67% who believe the challenge is getting ‘significantly harder’.

More than three quarters (77%) lack confidence in hitting 2015 savings targets for built environment projects. Providing more learning opportunities is their top priority for adding value (79%) along with increasing local spend (74%) and employment (74%).

Mark Robinson, chief executive of SCAPE, said: “It is clear from these findings just how great a challenge is faced by local authorities to balance shrinking budgets with the rising demand that many public services are experiencing. Urban areas are having to cope with the biggest reductions in their spending on built environment projects, but it is in rural parts of the country where the pressure to get the most from every pound spent is being felt the most."