APS Weekly Update - w/c 26 January 2026
APS has increased its sector-wide engagement to better support members in developing and maintaining professional competence. Each week, we’ll share an update from APS HQ so you can see the breadth of work being carried out for your benefit.
What’s been happening?
• APS Director Helena Knight attended the CONIAC meeting to discuss the CDM Post-Implementation Review (PIR), the second review of the CDM Regulations since 2015, which assesses whether the regulations remain fit for purpose. The review has been approved and is now with the Minister for sign-off, with publication expected in early February 2026 or sooner. Helena will be part of the CONIAC review team. The overall conclusion was that no significant changes are proposed, although key areas for recommendation include clearer expectations around the client role and greater clarity and compliance for the Principal Designer role, particularly in relation to the Building Regulations Principal Designer.
• APS attended an MHCLG roundtable with built environment professional bodies to discuss the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus. There was broad agreement that some form of professional regulation is needed, though which professions and how they will be regulated remains under discussion. Options could range from mandatory membership of a professional body to full regulation of title and function. APS will continue engaging with the department to help shape the proposals.
• The Chair of the ITFG, APS’s Sofie Hooper, and the Technical Author, Shaun Lundy had two meetings this week towards publication of the guidance on the management of competence in organisations. On Monday they met with the ICC Chair of the ICC Task and Finish Group and the ICC Secretariat to ensure alignment on content and publication. On Thursday they met with the wider Building Safety Division in the BSR to discuss culture. The BSR has developed a tool in this area that members will find useful- see the section below.
• The first APS Academy Building Regulations England course took place and was a great success. The course has been designed to provide practitioners providing Principal Designer or other duties under the CDM Regulations 2015 with an understanding of the Building Regulations 2010 (England) and their application so that they can enhance their current level of skills, knowledge and experience, and expected behaviours for discharging duties or performing functions in their project or professional role, and interface with dutyholders under the Building Regulations 2010 (England), in particular the Principal Designer under that regime.
• Sofie attended an EDGE event on Competence: What is it good for? It was a lively debate chaired by Richard Harral (CEO of CABE), Jon Vanstone (Chair of the ICC) and Katy Turff (DCEO Engineering Council) were among the panel. Much of the discussion focused on the role of competence in an outcomes-based regulations system. The role of professional bodies towards the delivery of ‘professionals’, as opposed to only ‘competent people’ was unsurprisingly also discussed. The provision of a Code of Conduct, ongoing governance, a peer community and the monitoring of CPD all form a part of that value proposition towards professionals’.
One key area where professional bodies were challenged to do more was on revalidation. Rather than a full re-assessment, revalidation is a periodic reassessment or re-evaluation of competence which provides assurance that the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours have been maintained or developed such that the individual remains competent to fulfil the specified role.
An important message shared was how construction should get it right first time around, changing attitudes and culture so as to eliminate costly errors that become apparent after construction. The GIRI initiative was represented in the audience and they shared how their research indicates that avoidable errors can account for up to 21% of project cost, translating to billions of points lost annually in the UK construction industry. Investing in competence is one way towards the goal of getting it right from the start.
• Andrew attended the ICC Client Group which is seeking to complete a document for informed clients outlining the principles around client duties and expectations in relation to the Building Regulations 2010 (England). A final draft will be prepared for mid-February together with a draft question set to accompany a wider industry consultation.
Recent updates members should know about
Scotland
The Scottish Government recently published two documents and a call for evidence on fire.
The two documents published are supporting the Post-Grenfell policy response which led to the development of the Compliance Plan Approach. The Approach is supported by two tools, in advance of statutory introduction of the Compliance Plan manager:
Related to this publication is the Call for Evidence – Fire Safety Review and Compliance, which closes on 10th April. The Call for Evidence to review Section 2 (Fire) of the Building Standards will inform the scope and priorities actions needed to improve fire safety across all building types and also further consult on the developing Compliance Plan Approach for high-risk buildings.
You can find out more about these developments here. APS will continue its engagement in this agenda and will also consider its response to the consultation.
What’s coming up this week? (26 - 30 January)
• APS attending the CIC 2050 Group and CIC membership Panel
• APS Attending FMB webinar on competence management for organisations
• Meetings have been arranged with Eng Council and ICSG to discuss recent developments in the world of competence.
We’ll continue to keep members updated on key developments and engagement across the industry as plans for 2026 take shape.
If you would like to contribute or share expertise on issues that matter to you, please contact APS HQ at info@aps.org.uk.