First Spalding Road. Now Fletton Parkway!

Spalding Road is the A16.

The A16 from Peterborough to Spalding subsided and was closed (if I remember correctly before it opened) until remedial work was completed. It starts in Paston Ward and travels through Northborough Ward in the Peterborough unitary authority area (governed by Peteborough City Council).

It then enters the Lincolnshire County Council & South Holland District Council areas where it travels through county & district wards: Crowland & Deeping St Nicholas, Moulton (Weston and Cowbit) and Spalding St Mary’s

It also passes through the following parishes:
Newborough, Borough Fen (Peterborough)
Crowland, Cowbit, Weston and Spalding South (South Holland, Lincolnshire)

It travels through two parliamentary constituencies: that of Peterborough Borough and South Holland and the Deepings.

The Fletton Parkway is the A1139

The roadworks which are currently underway and which have hit a £4.5M size brick are within the following areas of local government:

parliamentary constituency: North West Cambridgeshire
unitary authority area: Peterborough City Council
unitary authority wards: Orton Waterville, Orton Longueville and Orton with Hampton
parishes: Orton Waterville, Orton Longueville (and an unparished area)

Further reading

New Listerner

http://www.newlistener.co.uk/home/city-announces-massive-cost-overrun-on-infrastructure-project-due-to-unforeseen-circumstances

Peterborough Telegraph

 

30th January http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/politics-news/contaminated-soil-and-new-works-land-city-council-with-4-5-million-roads-bill-1-6549612

2nd February http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/politics-news/councillors-hit-back-at-mismanagement-claims-over-added-4-5-million-cost-to-fletton-parkway-widening-1-6556083

Was there a Clerk of Works?

Oh!  Again.  Check out the last frame!

To the best of my knowledge Clerk of Works is currently not a role within the organisation structure of Peterborough City Council (I can’t find the role on their website). Happy as always to be corrected.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – FOI-14-0299 A1139 Fletton Parkway

Although it looks from this document as if there were “site supervision and clerk of works functions” identified, it is clear that one contractor to the council appointed another contractor to the contractor to perform the roles. This is not the same as having one qualified person on one’s own team and begs the question who the possibly qualified person was. Happy as always to be corrected.

If Clerk of Works is the role which secures budgetary control (see above video), why isn’t Morson (the contractor apparently covering the role) picking up 100% of the £4.5M cost overrun?  One way to establish the reason for this would be to subject the relevant contracts and subcontracts to scrutiny by a person competent in law of contract.

Personally, if I were the council I’d bring the role of Clerk of Works straight back in-house to establish and secure a clear line of responsibility and management.  A good properly qualified person in this role could save the city a fortune over time.  I know that breathtaking achievements (even if you only count the beans) are often made, quietly and without a brass band, by people doing this sort of job for other organisations.

Information on the history of the role of Clerk of Works within Peterborough City Council’s remit very welcome.

Simon Machen says there was no reason to expect contamination. Previous scheme on the road had shown no problems #pborocc

— Joel Lamy (@PTJoelLamy) February 16, 2015

@PTJoelLamy ..no reason to expect contamination?

Route of Fletton Parkway last century. pic.twitter.com/TUOAWIRruN

— Fiona Radic (@FionaRadic) February 16, 2015