Glenda Powell Posted September 3, 2013 Report Posted September 3, 2013 New service contracts for the county commenced yesterday for those looking after the county's highways, buildings and streets. Herefordshire council undertook major procurements earlier this year to deliver the new contracts with the local authority spending more than £20m each year on these services. The council says that new agreements will save £2.4m as part of its overall plan to reduce budgets. The most noticeable change change will be the roll out of the new Public Realm Services contract with Balfour beatty Living Places. Balfour is now looking after the county's highways maintenance, street lighting, traffic signals,street cleaning,parks and public rights of way,design services and fleet maintenance. People will begin to see the new vehicles around the county this week. The other major contracts to be awarded are building repairs and maintenance which will be provided by Interal UK LTD. and building cleaning services, which was awarded to Initial Facilities Services. Both these contracts will be for an initial three year term.
flamboyant Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 It was more of a stumble than a roll out !
Glenda Powell Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Posted September 4, 2013 Whether a roll out or stumble councillors have not been issued with names or contact numbers for us to report repairs etc, not exactly a good start to the new contracts if we are unable to contact them!
twowheelsgood Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 Where did this £2.4m saving come from? Is it just a random figure thrown in to make us think this is a good deal? Saving over what? Amey? Why wasn't a non-profit arrangement with the existing staff put together? I'm told by a councillor it was wanted by many staff, it would have been easy to do and would have resulted in real savings back to the council tax payer, rather than profit going to a limited companies share holders. The Jarvis deal was an unmitigated disaster, as was the Amey deal - they cost us millions - doesn't anyone learn in cabinet?
flamboyant Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 Councillor I was told by Customer Services that they couldn't contact Highways either I was told to call back next week! Surely that can't be correct ?
Glenda Powell Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Posted September 4, 2013 When I spoke to the woman who has organised the launch of Balfour Beatty next week to say I was going to attend, I told her there were things that I ask to be done but had not been completed before Amey left, she told me it would be a couple of weeks before I had names and contact numbers for BB, hence why I said in a previous post no councillors have been given this information.
Biomech Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 heh, imagine if a client went into a project with a business, the contracts were signed, the money started rolling and the business said, "we're not giving you our contact details for 2 weeks"... wouldn't be great for business would it? .... unless you're contracted by the council.There are 2 reasons for not giving out names. 1. They don't know who will be allocated the work. Makes my the most sense. But then, who starts a contract without a plan?2. They don't want to.Either way, if the details for the work aren't giving to the client (council) then the client should withhold payment for the next couple of weeks until they are. Think about it, if they're preventing the start of work for 2 weeks, at £20 million a year, you're about to pay them £770,000 to do nothing.... apart from have a party Tell you what, when you look at it like that, us paying them £385,000 PER WEEK, can you honestly say that you see £385,000 worth of work being done every week?
Bill Thomas Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 heh, imagine if a client went into a project with a business, the contracts were signed, the money started rolling and the business said, "we're not giving you our contact details for 2 weeks"... wouldn't be great for business would it? .... unless you're contracted by the council. There are 2 reasons for not giving out names. 1. They don't know who will be allocated the work. Makes my the most sense. But then, who starts a contract without a plan? 2. They don't want to. Either way, if the details for the work aren't giving to the client (council) then the client should withhold payment for the next couple of weeks until they are. Think about it, if they're preventing the start of work for 2 weeks, at £20 million a year, you're about to pay them £770,000 to do nothing.... apart from have a party Tell you what, when you look at it like that, us paying them £385,000 PER WEEK, can you honestly say that you see £385,000 worth of work being done every week? Biomech you are 100% correct, this is a good start, NOT! Why do we accept being fobbed off all the time? I think with this new contractor the Council and it's Councillors should set a bench mark and stick to it, in other words don't put up with the rubbish excuses that Amey used to dish out.
flamboyant Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 Biomech you're hilarious 'a plan' the Council don't have plans! You are correct in your assertion that without a plan which would include a direct line of communication the Council are yet again losing control of our funds. I do not condone a single penny being unaccounted for! If Balfour Beatty took over the running of this service on the 1st of Sep then I expect them to take over the complete running of this service. That would include a direct line of Communication , nothing less is acceptable. If a bank went off line for even a day and customers could not contact them, it would make the National news! If customers were then told there was a cost implication they would storm the banks! The Council are accountable for the Contract they should now be checking the small print!
Biomech Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 heh, in all fairness, I do realise that in business the contract starts and then you have logistics and assignments and orientation and everything. But they knew they had won the contract, this should have been done ages ago. But more importantly, when the council are cutting services at such a rate, such as lost dogs (didn't even know there was that service) to save just £12,000, it's ludicrous that they don't have tighter controls over a company who are being paid £385,000 a WEEK. Just one day of inactivity and they've thrown £55,000 down the drain.
flamboyant Posted September 4, 2013 Report Posted September 4, 2013 Excellent points Biomech now who and how do we hold them to account? By my reckoning that amount of money goes a long way to keeping open a day centre for our disabled or elderly or perhaps a new mini bus for some of our beautiful children at Black Marston. No no no sorry my apologies what a ridiculous idea! Shame on me!
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