TOWN HALL COULD TEAR UP FIRM’S 20-YEAR SUPER-DEAL
BINS AND STREET CLEANING CONTRACT FACES AXE OVER ‘FAILINGS’
A PRIVATE firm handed a ‘super contract’ to deliver a huge swathe of council services for more than 20 years could be ditched after just four following a review which uncovered a catalogue of failings.
The deal between giant company Amey and Trafford town hall was heralded as ‘groundbreaking’ back in 2015, with the potential for billions of poundsworth of savings across Greater Manchester if the model worked and others decided to piggy-back.
The firm was made responsible for services including bins, street cleaning, street lighting, parks maintenance and drainage for 23 years, with savings of £3m expected annually. The deal was struck by the former Conservative administration, voted out last May.
The whole thing could soon fall apart, the M.E.N. can reveal.
Trafford council chiefs are considering ripping up the ‘One Trafford Partnership’ contract and delivering services, which cost £12m a year, themselves. There could be a financial penalty if the town hall opts out of the deal, with legal negotiations with Amey lawyers likely. The move could mean bins are collected by the town hall, rather than an outside company, for the first time in nearly three decades. Amey took over domestic and commercial waste from Veolia, which had emptied bins in the borough, as part of an earlier outsourcing deal, since 1992. Last year, it was revealed that Amey submitted incorrect performance figures to the council, before being fined £1m. Those who initially protested the move, demonstrating against what they claimed was an ever-slippery slope to wholesale privatisation, said they weren’t surprised. The council was bombarded with complaints about dirty streets, filthy parks and overflowing bins. Council insiders admitted there was too little cash in the contract from the start. The new Labour administration launched a review to figure out why things weren’t going to plan. A report, due to be discussed by town hall bosses next week, documents a series of errors and missed targets. The report revealed ‘poor’ management has contributed to ‘inadequate’ performance in some areas. “This has been an issue since the partnership began, with employees feeling there is an us and them mentality,” the document adds.
Trade union representatives claimed they had been ‘misled’ over some contractual arrangements and that ‘trust’ was lost between staff and management.
Town hall chiefs will now decide to either scrap the contract and develop an ‘in-house service,’ or ‘review and reshape’ the deal.
They could also opt to continue with the contract, while aiming to make ‘significant improvements.’
An Amey spokesman said: “Amey is committed to working with Trafford council through the One Trafford Partnership to improve the quality of services. We have been working hard in recent months to address concerns about our services and have made good progress in some key areas.”
He added: “This report highlights some key areas where we have to focus our efforts in order to achieve the contractual targets set for us. Amey and our local One Trafford team remain fully committed to ensuring services continually improve and meet the expectations of the council and community.”
Amey is committed to working with Trafford council to improve the quality of services Amey spokesman