School builder could face cash penalty

By Emily Pearce

Saturday, September 8, 2012

 

School builder could face cash penalty

The school works last month.

THE contractor responsible for building the new Cowes Enterprise College may have to pay financial penalties, following delays to the project.

As previously reported, the new £32 million school — formerly Cowes High School — was due to be completed before the start of the school year but delays have pushed the opening date back by several weeks.

Due to a sustained period of wet weather throughout the summer, the new buildings will not be ready until the second half of the autumn term, according to the Isle of Wight Council. Until then, students will be taught in the old school.

Pihl, the contractor at the helm of the project, may have to pay financial penalties as a result of the delays should the council decided to enforce them at a future date.

The council’s director for schools and education services, Janet Newton, said it would not be appropriate to seek claims until the end of the contract period, in March next year.

She said: "There are a number of clauses, as would be expected for such a significant multi-million pound construction scheme. These clauses are commercially sensitive and will not be made public."

Reporter: emilyp@iwcpmail.co.uk

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by David Web

9th September 2012, at 19:31:44

the penalty clauses in place are probably so small that the contractor can absorb these easily and don't care if it over runs significantly.

The council are should have ensured heavier penalties were in place, the fact they do not want to disclose info on them says it all, as they don't want people to know the full extent of their failure.

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by alan naylor

9th September 2012, at 17:46:47

COMMERCIALLY SENSITIVE Only a ISLE OF WIGHT public officer would have the nerve to put such a statment to its local people you l all stand for anything and deserve all you get

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by alan naylor

9th September 2012, at 17:41:18

So sorry to inforn you Janet Newton but perhaps you have not heard off the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT and I advise any Tax payer to enquire what those claues were they must have been part of the planning agreement and all therin should be available to the puplic its them that pay your wages madam

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by Russell Palin

8th September 2012, at 10:42:10

Is the contractor insured against such events like bad weather? Is it possible to get such insurance?
The reason I ask, is that in this country we have bad weather in large doses sometimes. If contractors receive no protection at all from these time clauses soon all the contractors will go bust.
Whatever happened to trust and reliability? Its all gone out the window to all these stupid new rules and regulations that nippers have braught in, in my oppinion....
Age and experience is so important, most heads of departments these days have only just left collage and have no experiance whatsoever, ha ha ha.

Any views or opinions presented in the comments above are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the Isle of Wight County Press.

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