A WHISTLE BLOWER has suggested that Shropshire Council does not properly monitor its highway contractors, Kier and WSP.

This has resulted in the council being asked questions by the opposition Liberal Democrat group including the three Ludlow councillors Tracey Huffer, Vivienne Parry and Andy Boddington alongside Clee councillor Richard Huffer.

A series of questions was be submitted to the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee by Underdale Councillor, David Vasmer, on behalf of members from the Liberal Democrat Group that is demanding answers from officers.

“We have been sent copies of a series of emails from a former Senior Quantity Surveyor who worked as a contractor for Shropshire Council monitoring the operation of the Kier and WSP contracts,” said Cllr Vasmer.

“He was very concerned about the monitoring of the Council’s contracts with Kier and WSP.

“This former contractor tried to raise his concerns with senior officers within Shropshire Council, but his concerns do not appear to have been investigated in contravention of the Council’s own whistleblowing policy.

“In order to ensure that his concerns are investigated this former Senior Quantity Surveyor passed some information to me because he was worried that contracts were not being affectively monitored.

“As a result, on behalf of Lib Dem colleagues I am tabling a series of questions to the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the expectation that there will be a thorough investigation of these claims.

“The Council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, are also being informed of the questions.

“Everybody in Shropshire knows that the Council’s Highways Department has not been operating effectively for some time; and since Kier took over, the situation appears to have got worse.

“The information we have received suggests that such an investigation is urgently needed.”