Audit finds no plan to improve failing highways contractors

Data requested by the Southwark Liberal Democrats has shown that 4 of 8 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for highways contractors are not hitting their targets, with the official external auditor finding “no remedial plan to address the performance”.  

The data showed that in October last year, less than half of emergency callouts were attended on time, and that in over a third of cases the council’s quality of works standards were not being met.  

Despite this, a damning report from external auditors identified no remedial plans, a low proportion of live site audits, and no follow-up procedures or timelines for reinspecting poor works previously identified. 

It follows the chaos on Lower Road, where bungled roadworks forced the council into an embarrassing U-turn after Liberal Democrat pressure, wasting taxpayer money that could have been saved if Labour had got it right the first time. 

This also comes after explosive investigations into the Labour-run council’s housing department exposed massive failings in contract management of its major works projects, which resulted in a combined £6 million overspend and unacceptable quality of works.  

The Liberal Democrats say that this represents a betrayal of trust from a council that should be spending taxpayer money more carefully than ever during a cost of living crisis, and shows that problems with managing value for money for contractors is endemic across the council.  

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Councillor and Audit and Governance Vice-Chair Cllr Adam Hood said:  

“We already knew that this Labour council was wasting millions on shoddy major works contracts, but now we’re seeing that this is happening across the council.  

Our Labour administration says they want to spend our money like it’s their own – but in reality it’s just more and more waste.  

During a cost of living crisis we should be able to trust our council to spend hard-earned taxpayer cash carefully, and ensuring that we are getting the service we’re all paying for.  

For this council to be failing to crack down on underperforming highways contractors is a total betrayal of trust.”