Tu, Jan 17, 2006Consultants consulted over consultants' delays
The construction of the Downham Lifestyle Centre is now finally underway, but when in 1995 Downham Pool closed nobody would have imagined that it would have taken 10 years before works for the replacement would start.
The last leg of delays is surely one that many people find most disturbing as its reason remains hidden behind a cloud of commercially sensitive and confidential secrets.
What is not a secret is that for two and a half years the project couldn't get started as the consultants hired by the Council were busy trying to agree among themselves at a cost to the public of £ 1 million.
This consultants' work delivered a further £ 1.2 million increase in the cost of the project.
At the Full Council Meeting held last September, just after the final agreement on the contract was sealed, Mayor Bullock made a big thing about how frustrated he had been for a long period of time about the delays that had taken place.
He announced that he had instructed the Chief Executive to undertake an inquiry into the reasons for this unacceptable delay in signing the contract.
By all accounts the Chief Executive Barry Quirk CBE employed a consultant to undertake the inquiry.
Yes, you read right! A consultant is being paid by Lewisham Council to look into why the consultants took so long in completing a contract!
Keep an eye on this space for updates on this!