Several recent events in the contracting community have thrown these three key values into sharp relief and are proof positive, if any was required, of the need for a strong representative body for contractors.

Contractors who purchased a cheap professional indemnity deal through insurance company, CFT, have learnt they could have put their houses at risk as the company ceased trading during an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. Those contractors must now question the trust and respect they have for that company, and certainly if, as a result of a claim which turned out to be uninsured, they lost their homes, they would no doubt conclude that it wasn’t value for money.

Kevin Miller, the Finance Director of the PCG, spent many months investigating the market to find the best deal for members. The result is a PI insurance policy, not as cheap as that offered by CFT, but backed by Lloyds. PCG’s members have seen Kevin Miller in action over the last two and a half years on a daily basis and they know they get value for money.

Contractor ‘Eddie Battersby’ has learnt some lessons about trust, respect and value for money. He spent 13 years building his business. He trusted the Government to provide a stable regulatory environment, he found out to his cost that this Government cannot be trusted with the entrepreneurial spirit which runs in this country and has found overnight, by a flick of the Paymaster Master General’s pen, that he is a disguised employee.

If Eddie had been a member of the PCG, they could have helped him.

As part of his £100 membership fee, he would have had access to PCG's business-to-business contract. As with any member, PCG would have put forward an ex-Inland Revenue inspector to sit along side him and answer the questions from the Revenue. Finally, if the PCG felt the decision needed to be tested, its members would have stood behind him and taken it to the highest courts in the land.

PCG members understand in an uncertain environment as independent and forward thinking as they are, that sometimes they have to band together to protect their interests.

Check out the Executive team of the PCG that works on behalf of the members. They are second to none and the Government themselves would be proud to have them on their side. In fact, one of them asked if they could employ the PCG’ s press officer, Susie Hughes, and this from the Government with a doctorate in spin.

Work out what it would cost to employ a team like that on your side. Each member has that fighting on their side for £100 a year. They respect them, they trust them and they know that they get value for money.

If anyone is still in any doubt about the need for a trusted and respected organisation that will help to look after your interests, offering outstanding value for money, then CFT and 'Eddie Battersby' should answer those doubts.

Join today and make a difference.

Kind Regards

Andy White