Gee 'seeking redress' with council over £3m terminated contract

Gee Construction has hit back at Three Rivers District Council over the termination of its £3m leisure centre contract by Three Rivers Council.

The local authority decided to take over and manage the outstanding work on the contract directly, after what the Watford Observer referred to as a “botched and delayed” redevelopment was running 12 months late.

Gee has since sent a team to meet the council, including its chief executive.

It claimed Three Rivers gave as the reason for its decision “our alleged failure to proceed regularly and diligently with the works, as well as a failure to comply with an architect’s instruction.”

Gee Construction has rejected both these allegations out of hand and said that it “will be seeking redress”.

After having been granted a 12-week extension of time already Gee was “vigorously pursuing a further claim for an additional 46 weeks”.

Its case was that the vast majority of problems on the project were outside its control.

“Key and substantial design information necessary to build this project is still outstanding 12 months after the original completion date, despite repeated requests for information made to both client and employer’s agent,” said Gee.

“We believe that much of this information shortfall is a consequence of continued staff redeployments made by the multi-disciplined consultancy administering this contract on behalf of the employer.

“In the course of this project more than 16 staff have moved off the project, ranging from architects to project managers, structural engineers to mechanical & electrical consultants.”

Gee said that the recent termination notice was served soon after it “advised the client of our intention to adjudicate on our claim for extension of time”.

It added that the contract provides that a notice of determination of the contractor’s employment shall not be given unreasonably or vexatiously. “Termination was not discussed before the notice was issued,” stated Gee.