A major Scottish council is in hot water, facing a £45 million lawsuit over a pothole repair contract awarded to a German firm
Amey is upset because the council gave a long-term road repair contract to a German company called Hochtief. They claim Hochtief’s bid was suspiciously low and shouldn’t have been accepted.
This contract is a big deal, worth up to £450 million. It covers everything from roads and footpaths to street lighting and traffic management systems.
In court, Amey accused the council of not being open about the bidding process. They say the council ignored their concerns and didn’t provide necessary information on why they lost the bid.
Amey believes Hochtief should have been disqualified for not meeting certain requirements. They also think the council scored their bid unfairly.
The judge had initially paused the contract award, but later allowed it to go through. Now, the court will decide if Amey deserves the £45 million they’re asking for.
Some councillors are expected to testify about the situation. This contract is part of a larger project aimed at securing long-term deals for housing and road maintenance.
Previously, the council faced criticism for awarding a massive £1.8 billion contract to a company accused of manipulating performance data.
A whistleblower revealed that Mears, the company involved, had altered completion dates for thousands of repair jobs. Despite this, the council still awarded them a long-term deal.
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council stated that all procurement processes are done according to the law. Amey has chosen not to comment on the ongoing legal matters.
