Several hundred firms have met the CLE approved licensing standard across the Plumbing, Building, Electrical, Decorating and Heating and Ventilation industries. CLE wants traders to take the initiative and become licensed. Improving the reputation of the industry relies on traders making a move.

Soon CLE will be promoting itself actively to the general public, to increase recognition for licensed traders and provide consumers with a substantial choice of reputable traders. CLE has been recognised as key to the construction sector by the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise and putting forward proposals for funding for promoting CLE “licensed traders” to the public. If you are a licensed trader you will be separating yourself from the “rogue” traders, and your company will go on a database of approved companies. You will also have access to our CLE logo to use on your stationary and a certificate showing that you have been approved.

Momentum is behind us and with the continuing support of the trade organisations we hope to ensure that in time, all of Scottish Construction will be done through approved companies. We will continue working with our business partners to forward the case of approved companies.

As a measure of the CLE ’s success, the Scottish Executive Building Standards division commissioned CLE to conduct research on its proposals for ‘Approved Certifiers of Construction.’ ‘Approved Certifiers of Construction’ will be introduced under the new Building (Scotland) Act 2003 and will mean that appropriately qualified and experienced people and businesses can be approved to certify certain types of work as meeting the Building Regulations.  CLE successfully presented the research which draws out practical issues and suggests improvements to the proposals which are planned to be launched in 2005.

Construction in Scotland is changing for the better. The message is clear. If you and your company want to ensure Scotland knows you are not a rogue trader, become a CLE accredited company.