Specialist contractors could be in danger of losing their gross payment status if they are not prepared for the new Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), Suzannah Nicholl OBE, chief executive of the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC), told Stone Federation members at the AGM.

NSCC is the umbrella group of a wide range of specialist contractors\' organisations including Stone Federation GB.

The new CIS rules were to have been introduced this year, but NSCC negotiated an extra year before implementation because many specialists were not ready for them. However, they will come into force in April next year and, said Suzannah, "if you don\'t have a clean tax record you could be in trouble".

Revenue & Customs (HMRC) would like to get everyone dealing with tax issues using the internet, but a survey by NSCC had shown only 11% of specialist contractors use the internet.

NSCC is trying to get some standardised criteria for membership of its component organisations in order to promote the use of members of those organisations. "Why are you members of a trade association," said Suzannah. "I presume it\'s because you want to prove you\'re better than the rest."

But she needed proof of that and NSCC was trying to collect it. One attempt had been to send a questionnaire to the members of all member organisations asking for accident figures. Not a single form had come back from Stone Federation members.

"You are legally obliged to have that information. All I want is for you to give it to me. Then I can say Stone Federation members are this much better than industry in general," she said.

Colin Goble, re-elected President for a second year at the AGM, also asked members for more feedback. "Your views are very important," he told members, "but unless you let us know your views the executive can\'t take action."

Some of the ways Stone Federation is helping members to be better were reported on during the AGM. Nick Wilson, deputy chairman of the stone cleaning & surface repair group, for example, reported on a two-part code of practice, one part covering repair and the other cleaning.

He said it would be sent for consultation shortly and anticipated it would be published next spring and launched at at a \'Stone Cleaning: Facts & Fiction\' seminar, probably in Newcastle.

"You can be reassured the Stone Federation is still very much working on your behalf," Nick told members.

David Richardson, chairman of the Technical Committee, reported on the two new codes of practice already published by Stone Federation this year (on worktops and floors) and said others were in the pipeline from his committee.

They had worked on British Standards and had produced data sheets dealing with CE marking and testing. "The technical committee is one of the most active comnmittees we have. It supports the promotion of the industry by doing some good, sound work," he said.

There was more good news from Clinton Haigh, chairman of the Natural Stone Industry Training Group that has been established with the financial support of the Construction Industry Training Board.

Clinton reported that the group was looking at five specific areas to develop training: stone flooring, facade cleaning and repair, drawing and design, fixer masons, and masons\' mates. They hoped to have the first course for facade cleaning and repair in the spring. Stone flooring was also moving ahead nicely.

But Clinton said the latest meeting of the drawing and design group was attended only by David Priestman, the CITB-paid training officer, and a person from the CITB. "It begs the question: does the industry really want an NVQ in this?"

Also, the CITB had said manufacturers could be a source of training but when Stone Federation approached manufacturers to see what they could offer, only two had responded. Clinton said it was "disappointing".

In general trhe training meetings were well attended, but could always benefit from more support. Anyone interested in taking part should contact Stone Federation (contact details on the left).

Stone Federation has appointed a PR company to raise the profile of its members. It is French Jones and their managing director, David Bandey, attended the AGM to outline his plans.

The aim, he said, is to increase the use of stone and to increase Stone Federation members\' share of the market. Target audiences are: clients, architects, specifiers, contractors, individuals having big houses built and the interiors market. He also intends to promote the Federation to the industry itself to increase membership. He said members need to get their stories into the wider media and to do that French Jones needs to hear from members about the projects they are involved in. If you have a case study of an interesting project you would like French Jones to try to get placed into the national or local media, contact David Bandey on Tel: 01491 410987. "