Liverpool’s enterprising joint venture faces further scrutiny

15 November 2006

Liverpool City Council has agreed to improve scrutiny of a pioneering joint venture for highways repair and street cleansing, after an independent study found it inadequate.
A report by KPMG – ordered by council leader, Cllr Warren Bradley, following concerns expressed by officers about the management of the contract – recommended less desk-based scrutiny and checks on the accuracy of performance data supplied by Enterprise Liverpool.
Cllr Bradley claimed the report was generally ‘positive’ about Enterprise Liverpool and another joint venture providing IT and call centre services, but had identified areas for improvement.
Enterprise Liverpool was set up four years ago by the Liberal Democrat administration to inject commercial innovation and improved integration into the provision of street services, while ploughing profits back into services. It is made up of representatives from both Enterprise PLC and Liverpool City Council, meaning the council still has a say at service level. It was awarded a 10-year, £180M contract.
An Audit Commission report published last year found the joint venture had improved cleansing services and the condition of principal roads compared well with other authorities. But Cllr Peter Millea, executive member for regeneration services, admitted: ‘Mistakes have been made. Ward councillors have not always been informed of decisions. But generally, councillors have more input into the highways maintenance programme than when the service was in-house.’
The Labour group welcomed the recommendations. Members claimed they had called for improvements to be made to the scrutiny ever since it was created.
Cllr Paul Brant, Labour spokesman on regeneration services, said: ‘There are big problems over financial transparency, we just don’t know if we’re getting good value for money.’

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Liverpool’s enterprising joint venture faces further scrutiny

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