Councillors are calling for reassurance that lessons will be learned after a project to create much-needed temporary accommodation in Walton-on-the-Naze incurred substantially increased costs.
The former Spendells House sheltered housing block, in Naze Park Road, is being converted by Tendring District Council (TDC) to provide 32 flats to house people and families who find themselves homeless but is now well overdue.
Earlier this year it was revealed that the £1.47million cost of transforming the dated 1960s building had increased to £2.33million – with £386,536 of the additional works being carried out by contractors as instructed by the project team, but without proper authorisation.
In May, the council’s Independent, Labour run Cabinet reiterated its support for the project, and allocated an additional £860,000 to complete it.
On Monday, 22nd July, a meeting of TDC’s Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee heard that a formal review is currently underway to provide clarity on how the issue arose.
The committee also heard the council’s Chief Executive had taken the unusual step of approving the virement of £60,000 from another budget to be committed to the project.
Paul Honeywood, chairman of the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said: “The committee has called for the Cabinet to report on its lessons learned once the review has been completed.
“The committee has also called for the report to articulate “a robust response” and action plan going forward and for portfolio holders to review their performance and project management on their existing projects.”
