Lively Debate On Contracts For Borough Work

Chronicle (Levin), 20 October 1949, Page 4

Lively Debate On Contracts For Borough Work

Again drawing attention to the need for the ietting of eohwracts for borough work not at present being carried out because of stafi shortage, Cr. R. S. Antcliff said at Monday night's meeting of the Levin Borough Council that he did not want to see this matter shelved. Tenders for the work should be called for, he added. Supporting cr. Antcliff, Cr. A. J. H. Allen produced a letter writteh by the town .clerk in 1945 to a ratepayer who requested work done. The letter had stated that further advice would be given when the work was able to be proceeded with, but nothing more had been he'ard and that was in 1945. He asked that speeificatibns be prepared and tenders called for all such work. When it was pointed out to Crs. Antcliff and Allen that the borough overseer, Mr. E.. Lycette, had already interviewed contractors in the town and secured written tenders for the maintenance of fooipaths and channeling, and that these would go before the works committee at its next meeting, Cr. Antcliff replied: "Do I understand that the borough overseer called for tenders. Surely this is not the right procedure? If tenders are to be caiied for it should be done properly and the tenders kept strictly confidential until they are opened at this council table."

"Cr. Antciiff's pomt was well tnade," remarked the, DeputyMayor, Mr. R. A. Frederikson. "I still feel, however, that the overseer did what the works committee instructed him to do." "These jobs should be advertised," countered Cr. Antcliff. Mr. Frederikson: Only two or three people in this town are likel'y to be imerested and the overseer was instructed to see them and get their prices. Had tenders been called for the answer would still have been the same. Cr. Antcliff: I don't like the unsatisfactory state of this whole business. Have we any way of finding out just how -much it would cost the council staff to do this work? We have these quotes and these people who have tendered will have to do the work within their prices. Does the borough staff, if it undertook the job, have to keep within its quote and what would its quote be? The whole thing should be done in a businesslike manner. Everything had been quite in order and the tenders handed into the town clerk's office, said Mr. Frederikson. After the tenders had been read out Cr. J. Miller expressed surprise at the "big 'difference in the quotes for the job. Cr. Antcliff : These tenders should have been called in the local paper and the Palmerston North papers too. Cr. J. Miller: Is the job big enqugh for outside contractors? Cr. A. W. Parton: It would be most unfair to go out into the open market for this job at this stage. We should just accept the lowest tender. Next time we can proceed along the lines suggested by Cr. Antcliff. The works committee wanted to push the matter along and that was why it asked the overseer to get prices. Cr. Miller: If by advertising more widely we save 4s a chain, we are saving the ratepayers £50. It is our duty to save them as much money as possible. A motion that the tenders be receive'd for consideration by the works committee was then put to the meeting and carried. Cr. Antcliff moved an amendment that further tenders be called through the newspapers, but it was lost.