Contractorcalculator exclusive interview: new PCG managing director John Brazier

John Brazier, the new managing director at PCG will try to broaden the membership base of the contractor organisation. He will also explore forming alliances with other professional organisations.

Cutting Across Sectoral Division

''I hope to lead the PCG into exploring opportunities for alliances and other kinds of synergies with other professional organisations,'' Brazier told ContractorCalculator. ''For now we are strong in IT, engineering, and construction. But we will seek to find ways to bring in more members from a wider variety of sectors. After all, what we offer is useful to any contractor in any sector."

Brazier has long experience of cutting across sectoral division. Before joining the PCG, Brazier was chief executive of leading printing and paper industry association and exhibition owner Picon. Brazier has also held senior positions in the publishing industry, including the role of managing director of United Business Media's former subsidiary, Benn Publications. ''I've had a great deal of experience in business both as part of a trade association and as a businessman in my own right.''

''In my role at the printing and paper association I dealt with members from many different sectors, and I found that by seeking areas of common interest we could work together very successfully. I will be helping PCG to make a similar effort for us here.''

Forging alliances would offer a particularly interesting approach to growing the PCG. Many contractors hesitate to join the PCG only because they already belong to a professional organisation from their own sector like the National Insurance Repair Contractors Association or the Chartered Institute of Journalists.

''They may not realise that PCG offers a host of complementary services,'' Brazier points out. ''We need to expand in this direction and make our offer better known.''

Duty of Care for HMRC

One of the most important issues confronting contractors, as Brazier indicates, is the fraught question of taxing the self-employed. Brazier notes that the PCG has fought a successful court battle to win the Arctic Systems case in which income sharing between husband and wife was threatened. ''But it is essential that HMRC should be held responsible for its actions, so that rogue cases like Arctic Systems are not launched against contractors in the future.''

This means that what lawyers refer to as 'duty of care,' which is a legal regime in which HMRC would have to pay for its mistakes, should be imposed upon HMRC. ''We are working hard to bring this crying need to the attention of politicians and officials,'' Brazier insists.

Extending PCG Influence

Brazier also intends to extend the influence of the PCG in politics. ''I will be attending all the party congresses in an effort to bring contractor issues into the forefront as the parties develop their programmes.

''Working with the political parties is essential. But there are issues just as important which confront contractors outside the legal sphere, and we will address those as well.''

In fact, as Brazier points out,''PCG has grown not just in numbers but in terms of influence - across government, industry and many other areas. We need to make that influence count and to make our presence felt where it is most needed.''