{"id":514988,"date":"2025-02-21T12:42:17","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T12:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=514988"},"modified":"2025-02-21T15:43:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T15:43:08","slug":"council-threatens-morgan-sindall-sack-botched-repairsrepairs-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/contracts\/council-threatens-morgan-sindall-sack-botched-repairsrepairs-work-21-02-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Council threatens Morgan Sindall with sack over \u2018botched\u2019 repairs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Basildon Borough Council has threatened to terminate Morgan Sindall\u2019s lucrative maintenance contract unless it sees \u201cdrastic improvements\u201d in the quality of work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Council leader Gavin Callaghan said the authority has invested an additional \u00a316m into the repair and maintenance of council properties over the past year \u201cdue to the diabolical state [in which] our housing repairs services finds itself\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking at a full council meeting last week (13 February), he said: \u201cWe all know as members that the current performance of this council\u2019s largest contractor is not acceptable. Repairs are taking too long and they are botched.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo while I am investing more in the repairs service, I want to be clear with the public: if drastic improvements to the service have not been made and outcomes improved for residents by Christmas 2025, I will sack Morgan Sindall<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Morgan Sindall Property Services was appointed on the contract to repair the council\u2019s housing stock and corporate buildings in April 2016. At the time the contractor said the deal was potentially worth more than \u00a3300m over 15 years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The contract includes repair, maintenance and planned improvement works to the council\u2019s housing stock, as well as gas servicing and boiler renewals for 10,000 domestic gas heating systems.<\/p>\n

The deal is worth approximately \u00a320m a year to Morgan Sindall and would be terminated five-and-a-half years before its maximum length if Basildon Borough Council ends it after Christmas this year.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Morgan Sindall Property Services said: \u201cWe are disappointed in the comments by Councillor Gavin Callaghan, as this is not reflective of the service we provide to over 12,000 homes in Basildon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2024, we delivered nearly 40,000 repairs to residents, in the same year, 98 per cent of emergency repairs were completed in a 24 hour period.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur operatives and customer team, many of which are Basildon residents, are dedicated and passionate about the service we deliver, working closely with residents to fix their issues as quickly and efficiently as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is clear from the comments raised we need to engage further with local councillors and residents and are doing this through the ward committee forums and our weekly resident drop-in sessions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are aware that there are improvements to be made and we are actively working with Basildon council to streamline processes to positively impact the service for residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, Hammersmith and Fulham Council announced its housing repairs contract with Morgan Sindall had been \u201cterminated by mutual consent\u201d, with the local authority subsequently hiring Wates on a \u00a328.4m replacement deal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the time a spokesperson for Morgan Sindall Property Services said the contract had been due to expire in 2025, adding that the decision to end earlier allowed the council to \u201cfully consider its service delivery and procurement options\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Basildon Borough Council has threatened to terminate Morgan Sindall\u2019s lucrative maintenance contract unless it sees \u201cdrastic improvements\u201d in the quality of work.\u00a0 Council leader Gavin Callaghan said the authority has invested an additional \u00a316m into the repair and maintenance of council properties over the past year \u201cdue to the diabolical state [in which] our housing …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90383,"featured_media":491724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[558,540],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n