Councillor Paul Swaddle OBE, Leader-Elect of Westminster City Council, has written to the Council's Executive Director of Finance to launch an immediate review of major contracts, beginning with the highest risk suppliers.
The move fulfils a key commitment from Westminster Conservatives' 100 Day Plan, which set out specific actions the new administration would take from day one to restore value for money and proper financial discipline to the Council.
The review will begin by focusing on platinum-rated suppliers, where contractor failure would cause significant disruption and reputational damage to the Council. It follows the Geoffrey Osborne scandal, in which Labour signed off on a contract with a failing contractor without proper due diligence, leaving residents with £27 million in clean-up costs.
Cllr Swaddle has also requested urgent discussions on the Council's Transformation Programme, maximising commercial revenue, and improving financial transparency. As previously reported, Westminster City Council did not list a purpose for £122 million worth of payments in the first half of the last financial year.
The Labour Government’s ‘fairer’ funding review cut Westminster's funding core grant by £19.5 million and slashed the homelessness grant by £6 million. With spending already limited by Labour's reckless waste and vanity projects, the Council was left raiding what remained to balance the budget.
Cllr Paul Swaddle OBE said:
"Westminster Conservatives promised real action on value for money. We are delivering it from day one.
Labour left Westminster's finances in a difficult position after wasting millions due to reckless spending and poor due diligence.
One of our first 100 Day commitments was to commission an immediate review of all major contracts, following Labour's £27 million Geoffrey Osborne failure. That work begins today.
This Conservative council will restore proper due diligence before it signs. There will be no more blank cheques and no more excuses.
Our 100 Day Plan sets out exactly what we will do and when. Residents can hold us to it."
Westminster Conservatives delivering real action from day one.
