黑洞社区

Digger! Digger! Digger!

One of my hacks is planning to see Vinci鈥檚 UK chief executive Bruno Dupety soon. He plans to politely urge him to hurry up and complete the smart motorway scheme it is carrying out with Balfour Beatty on the M6 between junctions two and four. My scribe is a regular user of the road, and his three-year-old son keeps loudly pointing out all the diggers dotted along the stretch being dug up 鈥� which is driving him nuts, he says. Unfortunately for him, work is not due to finish until 2020.

Chronicle of a death foretold

Mark Farmer, of Modernise or Die report fame, revealed recently even he was surprised at how apt the title of his 2016 research proved to be. Speaking at an event this month he admitted: 鈥淐arillion probably took the 鈥榙ie鈥� element of Modernise or Die to a whole new level. When I chose that strapline for my report, I have to say I wasn鈥檛 anticipating the second-biggest contractor in the UK being one of those casualties.鈥� Neither were too many others, although ploughing through the National Audit Office鈥檚 recent report into the debacle 鈥� losses on three UK jobs totalled more than 拢200m last year alone 鈥� hindsight says it鈥檚 a wonder it kept going for so long.

What鈥檚 in a name?

At the same event, my colleague collared Ann Bentley, 黑洞社区 columnist and Rider Levett Bucknall boss, about her much-anticipated report on procurement reform for the Construction Leadership Council. Its publication is supposed to coincide with the also much-anticipated construction sector deal. Bentley understandably stuck to the civil service line that publication is 鈥渋mminent鈥�, but she did reveal that she gave her report the working title of Risk, Money and Vested Interests. Gives a bit of a clue as to some of her findings, I would say.

A cutting remark

Interserve chief executive Debbie White gave evidence last week to the Public Accounts Committee, which was looking into government鈥檚 relationship with its major suppliers after Carillion went pop in January. Towards the end of White鈥檚 evidence, committee chair MP Meg Hillier noted Interserve had been going though big changes recently. 鈥淲e are not in a dash for growth,鈥� White pointed out. 鈥淎 dash for survival?鈥� Hillier shot back. A reply that, had she been a boxer, I鈥檇 say landed square on the jaw.

You could say that

Earlier in the committee hearing, White displayed masterly understatement when Hillier asked her if the government ever checked on whether firms were doing what they promised when they bid for a job. 鈥淚n my time at Interserve, I have not seen them do that,鈥� White explained, before adding: 鈥淗aving said that, we have been somewhat distracted with other things.鈥�

Sorry, I鈥檓 washing my hair tonight

Earlier this year, a minor kerfuffle was caused when it was announced the Kensington Roof Gardens were closing after owner Virgin Group said it was struggling to make a profit on the west London venue. The location often hosted parties for celebrity types and became well known for its gardens, which boasted four flamingos called Bill and Ben and Splosh and Becks. Despite my dotage, I never got the chance to go, though colleagues used to attend the annual Fenwick Elliott bash there. But I had a chance to put that right after those nice people at Japan House 鈥� which promotes the country鈥檚 food, design and culture 鈥� invited me to come along and view their new outpost at the art deco building last night. Just a shame it was Argentina versus Croatia in the World Cup 鈥�