May finish for Weymouth harbour wall repairs (From Bournemouth Echo)
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May finish for Weymouth harbour wall repairs
11:30am Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News By Rachael Burnett
TORN: A massive crack in the harbour wall
REPAIR work on Weymouth’s harbour will not be finished until May at the earliest.
Condor Ferries, which originally hoped to resume sailings in March, will not return until the repairs are finalised.
The borough’s management committee yesterday agreed to spend £3,920,000 repairing the crumbling quayside wall–double the original estimate.
The work is scheduled to start at the end of November and will take at least 24 weeks to complete.
Council chiefs are in a race against time to fix the quay so Condor Ferries can restart its cross Channel sailings It is estimated that the ferry operation brings in £650,000 to he local economy each year.
Councillors voted to award the contract to Balfour Beatty Civil Engineers, subject to a 10-day standstill period.
Councillor Gill Taylor said the increase from the initial estimate of £2million was because more extensive work will be carried out.
She said: “The increase in value is largely due to changes in the tender – we were advised to do more extensive work to make the harbour useable.
“The length we are doing repairs on has increased and we are also putting a concrete mattress across the harbour to prevent the problem reoccurring.”
Condor switched its crossings to Poole in February after concerns were raised about the harbour wall.
But some members at yesterday’s meeting expressed concerns that the total cost could spiral to £8 million.
Councillor Ian Bruce said he wanted definite assurances that the ferries would be resuming.
He said: “We are at a point with Condor where we need to say we want to know they are definitely coming back.
“We should put it to them that we are going to go forward with additional improvements and that the funding will come from them as well.”
Councillor Geoff Petherick said the £3.9million was the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and estimated the total cost of the redevelopment would be around £8million.
He said: “Realistically the payback will take 80 years.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg.
“My estimate has always been £8million and first of all it was going to be £2million but now it’s gone up to £4million.”
The work will initially be paid for by cash reserves but council off-icers said the council will probably have to borrow the money and estimate it will take 40 years to repay.
‘Our intention to return’
Captain Fran Collins, operations director at Condor Ferries, said: “Condor Ferries is pleased that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has decided to approve the plan to go ahead with the works to repair the harbour wall.
“We will continue to liaise closely with the council to confirm the timescales of the work involved. his is an important step toward the long term aim of developing Weymouth as the gateway to the Channel Islands, with the appropriate modern port facilities.
“It is our long term intention to return to operating regular sailings from Weymouth, once the works to restore the ferry port have been completed.”
Comments(20)
JelliedEel
says...
12:13pm Wed 3 Oct 12
They have turned Brewers Quay into a building site that is going nowhere. The quay will take forever to fix and go over budget. Shops are closing left, right and centre in town.
If the Council's aim was to make the area unattractive to tourists to come and visit then I would say they are right on target.
Simon 1965
says...
12:54pm Wed 3 Oct 12
Whilst still affirming their commitment to Weymouth, use of the words "long term aim to return sailings" seems to have been inserted into the comments by Captain Collins for the first time.
This indicates to me that although Condor will still return, it may not be until the 2014 season (or beyond), regardless of whether the repairs are completed on time or not.
As I say however, I may be reading too much into the wording of this.
Simon N.
bnaty12
says...
1:09pm Wed 3 Oct 12
Another councillor seems to think it could go up to 8 million? Why? So much for transparency.
It was meant to be March finish now May, is there anything these people can get right, or do the goal posts of this job constantly shift to accommodate brown envelopes?
The public have the right to know how the estimate could be 100% wrong and why those responsible still have a job and as to why this price keeps rising and getting later. Please can we see the full and open books on this, the details and communications between Balfour and the council, the whole package please.
BarrHumbug
says...
1:09pm Wed 3 Oct 12
I suspect what will happen is Condor will give assurances they will return as long as a completion date is agreed upon. The project will then run over budget and behind schedule, despite the council agreeing a cost with the contractor they will be expected to finance the shortfall, they will also have to pay compensation back to Condor for not completing on time. This will carry on for many months until Condor will be left with no option but to pull their agreement and stay at Poole signing up a long term contract securing a better deal for themselves and Weymouth will be left with a shiny new unused dockside.
bnaty12
says...
1:25pm Wed 3 Oct 12
BarrHumbug wrote:My understanding of the law is that if a price is agreed for a Job or service between parties beforehand, then that is the price the job must be completed for.
"subject to a 10-day standstill period" is that why council projects always take so long?
I suspect what will happen is Condor will give assurances they will return as long as a completion date is agreed upon. The project will then run over budget and behind schedule, despite the council agreeing a cost with the contractor they will be expected to finance the shortfall, they will also have to pay compensation back to Condor for not completing on time. This will carry on for many months until Condor will be left with no option but to pull their agreement and stay at Poole signing up a long term contract securing a better deal for themselves and Weymouth will be left with a shiny new unused dockside.
I myself had a business on it many years ago when a quote was given for a repair on an item, he then raised it when I brought the item in for repair, I went to trading standards and that is what I was told, so why should it be any different for the council and a contractor?
rudolph_hucker
says...
1:47pm Wed 3 Oct 12
Not a commitment in terms of action or time.
That ferry works better using Poole rather than Weymouth, Condor know this, Poole will do all it can to keep it there, these repairs will spiral in cost and drag in time and at the end of it all Condor will say "sorry we are using Poole" it has worked well for us.
Laughable.
Simon 1965
says...
2:30pm Wed 3 Oct 12
I have no doubts on Condors sincerity, just the council`s competence.
Simon N.
BarrHumbug
says...
2:51pm Wed 3 Oct 12
bnaty12 wrote:Well I agree that is how it should be but as soon as the word council or government is mentioned that all seems to go out the window and the contractor just charges what they like when they like and takes as long as they like to do it.
BarrHumbug wrote:My understanding of the law is that if a price is agreed for a Job or service between parties beforehand, then that is the price the job must be completed for.
"subject to a 10-day standstill period" is that why council projects always take so long?
I suspect what will happen is Condor will give assurances they will return as long as a completion date is agreed upon. The project will then run over budget and behind schedule, despite the council agreeing a cost with the contractor they will be expected to finance the shortfall, they will also have to pay compensation back to Condor for not completing on time. This will carry on for many months until Condor will be left with no option but to pull their agreement and stay at Poole signing up a long term contract securing a better deal for themselves and Weymouth will be left with a shiny new unused dockside.
I myself had a business on it many years ago when a quote was given for a repair on an item, he then raised it when I brought the item in for repair, I went to trading standards and that is what I was told, so why should it be any different for the council and a contractor?
darcyknows
says...
3:23pm Wed 3 Oct 12
bootedsw
says...
4:39pm Wed 3 Oct 12
darcyknows wrote:PHC probably needs the money as much as weymouth does, why look a gift horse in the mouth. With a reduced BF service they will need condor as much as we do.
if condor want to go back to weymouth then p h c should send them packing now and not be used .
The-Bleeding-Obvious
says...
4:58pm Wed 3 Oct 12
portia6
says...
5:04pm Wed 3 Oct 12
the new bridge creating a huge
drama would please the most creative
play-wright!
Weymouth has plenty of attractions
for the holiday maker and the train
station is well used!
bollywood
says...
10:01pm Wed 3 Oct 12
scubadude
says...
1:43pm Thu 4 Oct 12
bootedsw
says...
6:43pm Fri 5 Oct 12
ksmain
says...
7:22pm Fri 5 Oct 12
BarrHumbug wrote:Anyone considered that the extra cost may not all be down to the increase in the quote?
bnaty12 wrote:Well I agree that is how it should be but as soon as the word council or government is mentioned that all seems to go out the window and the contractor just charges what they like when they like and takes as long as they like to do it.
BarrHumbug wrote:My understanding of the law is that if a price is agreed for a Job or service between parties beforehand, then that is the price the job must be completed for.
"subject to a 10-day standstill period" is that why council projects always take so long?
I suspect what will happen is Condor will give assurances they will return as long as a completion date is agreed upon. The project will then run over budget and behind schedule, despite the council agreeing a cost with the contractor they will be expected to finance the shortfall, they will also have to pay compensation back to Condor for not completing on time. This will carry on for many months until Condor will be left with no option but to pull their agreement and stay at Poole signing up a long term contract securing a better deal for themselves and Weymouth will be left with a shiny new unused dockside.
I myself had a business on it many years ago when a quote was given for a repair on an item, he then raised it when I brought the item in for repair, I went to trading standards and that is what I was told, so why should it be any different for the council and a contractor?
It may be that because of the lengthening period of time before the repair is finished, they have had to factor in increased losses caused by the lack of berthing fees from Condor and maybe other income that would have been received from them. each month will cause a further increase in these.
ThomasFairfax
says...
5:48am Sat 6 Oct 12
"From conversations I have had with people who work for Condor, it seems to me that this story has some credibility. I under stand that the work on rebuilding the quay at Weymouth is far from completion, and the March return date looks very uncertain. Add to the is the fact that Poole council are making very strong representations to Condor to remain in Poole, a return to the Weymouth operation seems less and less likely."
Today, Friday 5th October 2012, Dorset Echo carries this story of the repairs not being completed until May 2013 "at the earliest". It seems to me that Weymouth has seen the last of the Condor Ferry operations from the town, together with the employment and financial benefits that this employer provides both directly, and indirectly in terms of travelers visiting the town. Weymouth and Portland Council are not blameless in this story. Prevarication, indecision and ineptitude litter the route to where we are today. The decision to prevent Condor operating from Portland while the repairs to the ferry terminal were carried out, on the grounds that "the increase in traffic through the town (Weymouth), would cause severe congestion on the new improved road system for Olympic Games visitors" is a lamentable example of how a theoretically intelligent elected body can be so naive. As far as the Olympics (and other decisions) are concerned, Weymouth and Portland Council can have few toes left after so many examples of "shooting themselves in the foot". I have had differences of view with Condor ferries over the years, but in this instance if they were to make a corporate decision, (assuming they have not yet already done so), to sever all links with Weymouth, it would not surprise me at all, and I would fully support their action.
EtaoinShrdlu
says...
11:14pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Simon 1965
says...
3:05pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Presumably as the contract has now been awarded, they should on site soon, if not already.
Simon N.
jusphil says...
11:43am Wed 3 Oct 12
This is another case of the council of dragging there heels again and letting the world pass them by.
Come on W&PBC get your finger out before you destroy Weymouth completely.