Cash-strapped Lambeth council have splurged a massive TWO MILLION POUNDS on consultants for their hugely controversial Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, News From Crystal Palace can reveal.
In the wake of a Freedom of Information request from a Streatham resident which revealed Lambeth council had paid out a total of more than £745,000 to four companies / organisations acting as consultants on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, News From Crystal Palace asked what amounts had been paid to five other companies / organisations mentioned in that request – and it adds ANOTHER £1,253,000 to the bills:
- Meristem contracts got £560,000
- Sustrans contracts: £376,000
- Father Nature £280,000
- Phil Jones Associates contracts £220,000; and
- Living Streets: £37,000
These figures are on top of the four other contracts where:
- PJA contracts got £376,000
- InUseReuse £220,000
- Systra £148,676; and
- Commonplace £750 (Source: WhatDoTheyKnow)
Our Freedom of Information questions were worded in the same way as some of the same questions made by the Streatham resident:
Dear Lambeth borough council
Please confirm the total sum paid by Lambeth council, from the commencement of contract – to date, (or to the conclusion of existing contract if contract/monies are still outstanding) for the purposes of implementing “Low Traffic Neighbourhoods” to the following:
Phil Jones Associates contracts
Sustrans contracts
Meristem contracts
Living Streets
Father Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Streatham resident’s questions (plus the one Lambeth wouldn’t answer):
I am pleased to provide some of the information you have requested. I have detailed below the information.
Your request
Question 2: Please provide the dates and duration of the contract, or contracts, between Lambeth council and
a) Systra –A: Dec 2021 – March 2022
b) Commonplace – A: June 2023 – present
c) any other consultants used by Lambeth Council for the purposes of the implementation of LTNs (please provide details).
A: InUseReuse contracts 13/02/2022-present
Phil Jones Associates contracts – 10/01/2021 – present
Sustrans contracts 17/01/2021 – present
Meristem contracts 02/01/2020 – present
Living Streets 04/02/2020 – 21/06/2023
Father Nature 17/02/2020 – present
Question 3. For those contracts outlined in Q2 which are still in place, please confirm:
a) the expected end date, if known.
A: No existing Systra contracts
Lambeth holds a corporate license with Commonplace with an expected end date of April 2024
Meristem contract expected end – 01/06/2024
InUseReuse expected end – 01/04/2024
Sustrans – expected end – 10/05/2024
PJA – expected end – 01/05/2024
Father Nature – expected end – 01/06/2024
b) if the contract(s) are time limited, or project limited. ie: does the contract end on a set date, or upon conclusion of a particular project. Please provide details.
A: See 3a
Question 4: Please confirm whether any (further) tendering exercises will be carried out
in 2024 for consultancy contracts, for the purposes of LTN implementation.
A: No tendering exercises currently planned
Question 5: Please confirm the total sum paid to Systra by Lambeth council, from
the commencement of contract – to date, (or to the conclusion of existing contract if
contract/monies are still outstanding).
A: £148,676
Question 6: Please confirm the total sum paid to Commonplace by Lambeth council,
from the commencement of contract – to date, (or to the conclusion of existing contract
if contract/monies are still outstanding).
A: £750
Question 7: Please confirm the total sum paid to any other consultants used by
Lambeth council (see 2c above), from the commencement of contract – to date, (or to
the conclusion of existing contract if contract/monies are still outstanding).
A: InUseReuse contracts – 220k
PJA contracts – 376k
I can confirm that the remainder of the information you have requested is held
by Lambeth Council, by law. However, I’m unable to give this to you.
Question 1: Please provide details of Lambeth Council tendering exercises (if any), for
consultancy contracts for the purposes of LTN implementation – during the period
1.1.2020 to date.
The information requested is exempt from disclosure under Regulation 12(5)(e) of the
Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs). Disclosure would prejudice, or would be
likely to prejudice the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such
confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest. In order to
come within the terms of the exception it must be shown that:
Public Interest in Disclosure
We note Regulation 12(2) EIR has a presumption of disclosure.
We also consider that disclosure would increase the public’s understanding of this
issue and we note the general benefit in transparency where possible. (Source: WhatDoTheyKnow)
NEWS FROM CRYSTAL PALACE 