Electrical sector expands remit of Local Authority Forum

The new Forum logos and Andy Graham

SELECT has announced that Scotland’s electrical industry is expanding the remit and membership of its Local Authority Forum.

Run by SELECT, the ‘recalibration’ to include housing associations, universities and NHS estates has been tipped to help the Forum deliver its expertise and experience to a wider audience.

The expansion is reflected in new branding and a new name, with the collective being retitled the Local Authority & Client Forum.

The revamped Forum will continue to foster and encourage a support network, sharing electrical best practice and identifying areas of concern. The expansion is also predicted to help drive improvements in service delivery mechanisms and the effectiveness of operatives through a consistent approach to working and the standardisation of documentation.

Alan Wilson, MD of SELECT, explained, “SELECT has played a leading role in the Forum since it was established in 2007 and has allowed councils and housing associations to come together to share experience, develop ideas and resolve common issues. Pre-Covid, it met quarterly, with informative and engaging discussions, and this effort was maintained over the period since March 2020 by means of virtual meetings on an impromptu basis.

“The expansion of the Forum to include non-local authority members will leverage the combined skills of its members to promote a shared approach to maintaining excellence in electrical standards.”

Forum chair Andy Graham, who is also housing services business change manager at Fife Council, added, “Since its inception, the Forum has helped local authorities consistently to deliver best value, which is a critical aspect of their operations. By widening its remit, we propose to embrace a new cohort of key stakeholders and build up a whole new network of partnerships in which people are willing to share their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of others.”

A second group established in 2010 for electrical engineers will now be known as the Local Authority Engineers & Client Forum.