More delays for school refurbishment scheme
Job that started in September 2021 with 10-month deadline is only 15% finished, and workmen have walked out, says council
YET another building firm has been fired by Jávea council for failing to complete – this time, the workmen behind refurbishments on a town centre primary school.
A major extension and overhaul of the Trenc d'Alba primary school, with a budget of just under €1,073,000, started in September 2021 and was due to be finished in 10 months – in time for the start of the current school year.
But now the Easter term is drawing to a close, barely 15% of the job has been finished.
Pupils and teachers were looking forward to a brandnew gym and bathrooms, a bigger dining hall and kitchen, upgraded waterworks and a play-park area – but will now have to wait at least another year.
The civil engineering firm, Binaria Compañía General de Construcciones, S.L, downed tools after only doing a fraction of the work, says Jávea council, which has meant further avoidable delays.
Regional government legal services are required to intervene and give consent to rescind the contract, which can take several weeks.
Then the council has to put the job out to tender again, reviewing plans and updating prices, putting the renovations back by months.
The contingency fund of just over €44,000 deposited by the firm at the start – which is standard practice with public works contracts – will be retained by Jávea council, but is not enough to finish the renovations.
It will be used to make the existing building site safe, cordoning off hazardous zones so children will be able to use at least part of the playground again.
Just days earlier, Jávea was given leave to sever the contract with the joint-venture firm Parques Jávea, S.L, after they failed to complete a six-month renovation project on Thiviers park in over a year, despite three deadline extensions.
The park is now overgrown and resembles a building site, with the children's play area having been cordoned off since late 2021.
However, the town hall has been able to employ a company
to draw up the plans for a new classroom at CEIP L’Arenal primary school, which will be for two year olds.
The project will involve adapting the old caretakers’ property into a fully-functioning unit for the municipality’s youngest pupils.
They reminded that the Trenc d’Alba already has such a classroom which ‘allows the early incorporation’ of these youngsters into the education system.