Council Hears Outcome of Elizabeth House Adjudication

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Elizabeth Housing Monitoring Group and Executive held a meeting yesterday, Thursday 30 November, following the out come of the adjudication process between the District Council and its contractor, Balfour Beatty, for the office modernisation project.

In August, Balfour Beatty made a claim against the Council for additional costs of £533,666 for works during the modernisation of Elizabeth House.  The adjudicator decided that the Council should pay an additional £324,427 in respect of the contract, including interest, plus £44,710 adjudicator's fees.

The District Council has agreed to pay the amount today, 1 December, to avoid any liability for further interest.

The adjudicator has indicated the additional payments are because of the following:

• Granting of extensions of time for the works
• Unforeseen works and delays to handover and completion of parts of the project
• Loss and expense due to the longer contract
• Additional staffing on site needed due to overlapping works on parts of the project.

The District Council is currently reviewing its contract procedures to establish what lessons can be learnt in light of the project.