Gi Grimsby News submitted a series of questions to North East Lincolnshire Council regarding the ongoing Corporation Bridge scheme, amid rising costs and extended timelines, none of which the authority has provided clear answers to.
Originally budgeted at £5 million with an expected completion of 11 months, the project now exceeds £12 million and is projected to take nearly four years to complete. The project has been taken over by a new contractor, and work is understood to have resumed. To our knowledge, no one has been held formally accountable for the costly delays.
Gi Grimsby News questioned NELC over the following issues:
• Whether the new contractor had bid for the original contract, and if so, why they were unsuccessful.
• How many companies submitted bids for the contract the second time.
• Whether anyone has been held accountable for the delays and increased costs.
• Whether the Spencer Group is liable for delays or additional expenses.
• Updates on potential legal action over defects in completed work.
• Clarification on why some cost figures are shared publicly while others are withheld as “commercially sensitive.”
• How the council claims transparency while withholding key details on spending.
In response, the council said only:
“Following October’s scrutiny and cabinet meetings, we now look forward to progressing these works and ensuring completion of the bridge within the agreed parameters. We have no further comment to make at this stage.”
Addressing the council’s failure to answer any of the questions raised – again leaving taxpayers in the dark and without clarity over the details surrounding the escalating costs, project delays, or accountability – Labour Group Leader Councillor Emma Clough told Gi Grimsby News that the situation has “been marked by an unacceptable lack of transparency.”
She continued: “While we acknowledge that certain legal constraints may limit disclosure, there is no justification for withholding the full fiscal impact from the public. From the outset, democratic oversight of this project has been sorely lacking. The Labour group has repeatedly called for the dismissal of the portfolio holder to bring fresh scrutiny and accountability to this long delayed endeavour. Yet, despite the mounting frustration of residents and businesses, the ruling administration shows no appetite for change or responsibility.”
More to follow.
