UK coalition government

Citation

Hoxley, M. (2010), "UK coalition government", Structural Survey, Vol. 28 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2010.11028daa.001

UK coalition government

Article Type: Editorial From: Structural Survey, Volume 28, Issue 4

I am sitting writing this piece a couple of days after an evening that saw Gordon Brown depart from Downing Street and David Cameron accept her majesty the Queen’s invitation to form the next UK Government. After weeks of hectic election campaigning and days of coalition haggling, this transfer of power was an intensely poignant moment. Whatever one’s political leanings, one cannot have failed to have been moved by the emotion in the voice of the outgoing Prime Minister or by the smile of unadulterated joy on the face of Cameron as he and his wife crossed the threshold of number 10. This change of power has of course, heralded momentous events in the UK – the first formal coalition government since the Second World War. Some would argue that the problems the country face are nearly as bad as in those dark days. The severe economic and social problems will take considerable resolve by the new government and its electorate if they are to be successfully overcome. Severe cuts in funding and tax rises are certain to be felt by all. The sceptics are predicting a short life for the new government. If however it manages to see out its five-year term then the signs are good that progress will be made to overcoming some of the UK’s deep-rooted problems. In the short-term, there will be difficulties for the property and construction sectors (and indeed for the HE institutions that serve them) but let us hope that the country emerges as the winner under this unprecedented coming together of political parties. If it is a success it will hopefully transform the UK’s political system forever.

Papers in this issue

Femi Olubodun, Joseph Kargwa, Adebayo Oladapo and Judith Thompson investigate the level of life cycle costing use in the industry. Of course, under PFI and PPP methods of procurement, costs in use are paramount and their study confirms the view that LCC is used more in the public sector than in the private sector. Alison J. Cotgrave and Noora Kokkarinen draw on the fieldwork carried out in the UK and Australia for Alison’s doctorate, to develop a model to promote sustainability literacy through construction curriculum design. Ensuring that tomorrow’s contractors and professionals are much more focused on sustainability than their predecessors, is of course, critical to reducing carbon emissions. In their third in a series of papers on an innovative method of construction that facilitates the drying out of flood and condensation damage, Tord af Klintberg and Folke Björk present the findings of a study that looks at how a concrete floor built using this method dries, compared with traditional construction. Esther Cheung, Albert P.C. Chan and Stephen Kajewski present a paper of the researcher’s perspective on procuring public works projects. Finally, Nayanthara De Silva and Malik Ranasinghe from Sri Lanka present the findings of a study which employed artificial neural networks to investigate the maintainability of reinforced concrete flat roofs in tropical climates. On a personal level, it is good to see that two authors whose PhDs I examined are remaining research active – I will not embarrass them by naming them!

Mike Hoxley