Council could jump ship on £150m contract

THE future of road maintenance in the county has been called into question amid claims that Wiltshire Council are planning to end their contract with Balfour Beatty three years early.

The two parties signed a contract in 2013 that saw Balfour Beatty Living Places take on services like road maintenance and grass cutting.

The national firm have since been investigated by Wiltshire Council after complaints over their standard of work. It has now been revealed in a BBC report that the council may be looking for ways to end the five-year contract, which isn’t due to end until 2018.

Wiltshire Council issued a joint statement that said, “Wiltshire Council and Balfour Beatty are working towards a solution for ongoing delivery of the highway maintenance contract in Wiltshire. Constructive discussions are on-going and we will provide an update when appropriate.”

Wiltshire councillor Terry Chivers has hit out at the local authority for not being forthcoming to its members.

Cllr Chivers said, “I think it’s true to say that the first most councillors knew of this was when we read it in the press this morning. Wiltshire Council are keeping us in the dark like mushrooms and it’s not good enough; we have a right to know so we can keep the public and our local parish councillors up to date.

“There are too many unanswered questions and just what are Wiltshire Council and the Conservative Cabinet trying to hide? If we have to call a special full council meeting to get answers we will do so.”