Description of impact
Public policy, transparency, governance, practices and procedures, particularly across the Transport for London (TfL) group and in the roles, remit and practices of UK mayors, along with significant savings in national and regional public expenditure commitments have been impacted by this research. It has also contributed in construction procurement to enhancing public and professional knowledge nationally and internationally sustaining and enabling national reforms, and ensuing political debate about the probity, ethics, accountability and modus operandi of national and international actors in representative roles. In this broad context the research and arising scrutiny continue to have impacts, with further outcomes anticipated.·Who is affected
Improved procurement practices by Public Authorities specifically within the Transport for London (TfL) group and the GLA, and informing UK practices, benefiting the public, public authorities and bidders in future. • Financial losses and liabilities to UK tax payers and London ratepayers (on a Central Gov. £30m grant & TfL £30m precept subsequently converted into a loan) the likely future costs which would have been required to complete the project along with a c. £3m p.a maintenance liability. Subject to progress of legal processes, some of the sums expdended to date may be reimbursed. • Notwithstanding any sunk cost fallacy, if not terminated the projects potential public liability forward could have exceeded £100m which represents a further saving for the public. • The UK public, international visitors and architectural culture are benefited by retention of the existing amenity in Central London. By improving public policy transparency, governance, practices and procedures, significant savings in national and regional public future expenditure has been benefitted by this research that has also contributed in construction procurement to enhancing public and professional knowledge nationally and internationallyNarrative
The hypotheses of this research is underpinned by the commercial experience in construction of Walter Menteth Architects as a practice operating under the UK Public Contracts Regulation’s legal framework and standards including practical experience submitting multiple public contract bids. This has been augmented by the researcher’s recognised expertise in procurement law, regulations, their governance, processes and practices, his standing as a representative of the profession, public roles, positions as a trust chair and director of various organisations. In this research the procurement, project planning and methodologies have been engaged across national, regional, local authorities and private operators, and the political context.Justifiable public concerns about this high-profile project procurement and its value have been raised. £30m national and £30m regional public finance was agreed to be contributed, in the end on uniquely long low interest terms, upon construction commencement, with an underwritten liability circa £3m per annum on maintenance in perpetuity - ostensibly on a privately financed project! With nothing built its estimated cost on termination was circa £220m yet the project promoters had received proportionately little private finance while during its progression promised bequests declined, and the promoter’s expectation of and actual public purse pre-construction expenditure increased, to £43m! The research found the public commissioning had been partial, unfair and uncompetitive, and that processes, practices and procedures had fallen short of international, national and authority regulations, standards and governance practices, and that best value had not been delivered.
Through this paradigmatic research into a nationally significant project the aim has been to raise public understanding, drive practical improvements and professionalism, and advance the standards, value, quality, probity, efficiency and effectiveness of UK public procurement policy and practice, so that more economic, environmental and social sustainability objectives are deliverable, accountable and transparent. The research informed the projects progression and eventual termination, along with new protocols, governance and practices across the TfL group, the GLA and more widely. Parliamentarians’ views on, for example, practice and governance remits and protocols, particularly those surrounding UK mayorial roles, future infrastructure delivery through charitable trust vehicles and calls made for a parliamentary public inquiry on the project’s accountability continue to be informed.
The project was finally terminated by the Mayor of London in August 2017, yet the project expenditure, its accountability and the underlying structural policy framework and governance, remain the subject of ongoing research engagement and inquiries.
Impact status | Closed |
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Impact date | 3 Dec 2014 |
Category of impact | Cultural & Creative Impacts, Economic & Commercial Impacts, Public Policy Impacts, Public Discourse Impacts, Societal Impacts |
Impact level | Benefit (delivered impact) |
Keywords
- architecture
- procurement
- competitions
- public policy
- construction
- public engagement
- garden bridge
- governance
Documents & Links
- Dame Margaret Hodge MP Report on the Thames Garden Bridge_April 2017
File: application/pdf, 557 KB
Type: Text
- Transport for London_External Auditors Report_Thames Garden Bridge_30092016 WM marked up
File: application/pdf, 149 KB
Type: Text
- National Audit Office Investigation_Dpt for Transport_the Garden Bridge
File: application/pdf, 261 KB
Type: Text
- London Assembly_The Garden Bridge Design Procurement Report_March2016
File: application/pdf, 605 KB
Type: Text
- Mayor of London_Response to Chair of oversight committee_Garden Bridge 12June2016
File: application/pdf, 258 KB
Type: Text
- Mike Brown TfL Commissioner Mike Brown response to Chair GLA Oversight re Garden Bridge 08122017
File: application/pdf, 353 KB
Type: Text
- TfL Board-20170719-item15-garden-bridge_Some of the Responses instigated
File: application/pdf, 819 KB
Type: Text
Thames Garden Bridge Procurement Analysis. Project Compass Report Feb 2016
National Audit Office report on the Thames Garden Bridge. Oct 2016
London Assembly report. The Garden Bridge design procurement
London Assembly_The Garden Bridge Design Procurement_Report_March2016
Letter_from_chair_of Oversight Committee_to_mayor_re_garden_bridge_project_09-05-18
Mike Brown TfL Commissioner response to Chair GLA Oversight re Garden Bridge 08122017
TfL Board-20170719-item15-garden-bridge_some of the responses precipitated
Related content
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Prizes
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RIBA National Councillor
Prize: Appointment
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RIBA President's Medal for Research 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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RIBA London Region councillor
Prize: Appointment
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RIBA President's Award for Practice-located research 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Activities
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of council
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Submission of Evidence to the National Audit Office investigation: The Department for Transport’s funding of Garden Bridge
Activity: Consultancy types › Consultancy
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The Thames Garden Bridge: A summary Chronology
Activity: Consultancy types › Consultancy
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of network or group
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of council
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Cabinet Office (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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RIBA London Regional Council: Motion
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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Early research enquiry commencing investigation into London's Thames Garden Bridge
Activity: Consultancy types › Consultancy
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Greater London Authority (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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RIBA Council motion, regarding the Thames Garden Bridge
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Greater London Authority (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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BBC London Alice Bhandhukravi update on Garden Bridge
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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Commons Adjournment debate called by Kate Hoey MP on the Thames Garden Bridge
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Royal Institute of British Architects (External organisation)
Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee or panel
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Research outputs
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Thames Garden Bridge: procurement issues
Research output: Book/Report › Monograph › peer-review
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Public Interest Challenge and Garden Bridge
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Letter
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EU procurement directive: emerging public sector procurement
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Open letter to the Greater London Assembly from eighteen London architects: Reporting oversight on the Thames Garden Bridge, London
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Letter
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Call for the revocation of the RIBA Honorary Fellowship awarded to Boris Johnson
Research output: Other contribution
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Design contest guidance: for selecting architects and design teams
Research output: Book/Report › Book
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Flying by the seat of their pants: there have been significant recent revelations about the Thames Garden Bridge in London and the Garden Bridge Trusts structure and funding
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
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Garden Bridge Review Interview Transcripts
Research output: Other contribution
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Project Compass
Research output: Non-textual form › Web publication/site
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Why only architectural competitions? A tale of two bridges
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
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Good riddance to the Garden Bridge: an eye-watering waste of public funds
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
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Muddy Waters "Jobs for the boys": London's proposed Thames Garden Bridge
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
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Press / Media
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TfL urged to publish Garden Bridge meeting records
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Thames Garden Bridge project
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Impacts
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Policy and Regulatory Reform of Construction Procurement and embedding reforms in contemporary practice
Impact: Public Policy Impacts, Cultural & Creative Impacts, Economic & Commercial Impacts
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Datasets
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Project Compass data set
Dataset