Ministers scrap troubled FiReControl contract

20 Dec 10
Ministers have scrapped the scheme to streamline and link up England’s fire and rescue control centres following concerns over serious project overruns.

By David Williams

20 December 2010

Ministers have scrapped the scheme to streamline and link up England’s fire and rescue control centres following concerns over serious project overruns.


Local government minister Bob Neill today called a halt to the FiReControl project after it became clear that the contractor Cassidian would be unable to deliver the main IT system within an acceptable timeframe. He said this was the best outcome for both the fire and rescue service and the taxpayer.

Neill revealed an ‘acceptable settlement’ had been reached between his department and Cassidian, but would not release details for reasons of ‘commercial confidentiality’.

The FiReControl project forms the third and last part of the previous government’s fire and resilience programme. It aimed to replace 46 standalone fire and rescue control rooms with a national network of nine control centres.

In a written ministerial statement laid before Parliament, Neill said the progress of the project had caused ‘serious concern’.

‘In June this year I made it clear to the main FiReControl contractor, Cassidian (formerly EADS Defence and Security), that the main IT system must now be delivered to time, cost and quality,’ Neill said.

‘We told Cassidian that no additional taxpayers' money could be invested in this project, nor would delivery of a system of reduced quality or functionality be acceptable.

‘Following extensive discussion with Cassidian, we have jointly concluded, with regret, that the requirements of the project cannot be delivered to an acceptable timeframe. Therefore the best outcome for the taxpayer and the fire and rescue community is for the contract to be terminated with immediate effect.

‘Cassidian and the Department for Communities and Local Government have reached an acceptable settlement over this although the details will remain commercially confidential.’

Clive Betts, chair of the Commons communities and local government committee, said the decision to terminate the contract came as ‘no surprise’.

‘In the last Parliament our predecessor committee published a report about the FiReControl project that criticised both the department and the contractor for their handling of this much-delayed initiative that has gone massively over budget,’ he said.

Problems identified in that report included poor project management and adversarial relationships between the department and the contractor.

Betts added: ‘It is essential that those fire authorities who were relying on the FiReControl project to fund the urgent upgrading of their control room infrastructure are now given all necessary assistance to meet those needs following the cancellation of this contract. As we approach the 2012 Olympics it is crucial that fire and rescue authorities remain properly equipped to discharge their vital responsibilities to ensure our safety and security.’

Brian Coleman, chair of the Local Government Association’s fire services management committee, said Neill's announcement was a 'step in the right direction'.

'The LGA called for an end to this uncertainty and urged the government to make a decision on the future of the project,' he said.
 
'Many fire authorities have put a lot of money into the FiReControl project and we must now ensure they can make the most of that investment and don’t suffer any additional financial burdens, especially considering the tough grant settlements announced this month.'

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