Purpose

The A4 Portway Phase 2 Kerb Realignment project was approved by the Transport and Connectivity Committee on 6th February 2025. During delivery of the project, a number of contract variations were necessary to successfully complete the scope of the approved project. These variations arose for a range of reasons which included compensation events arising from the removal of different items such as vegetation and coal tar, additional construction work and programme related changes. Approval is required to confirm the resulting contract variations.

Decision

As per the delegated authority granted at the Transport and Connectivity Committee in February 2025, the decision to be made is to approve the contract variations arising during the delivery of A4 Portway Phase 2 Kerb Realignment project. The variations covering compensation events were essential to meet the original scope of the project. The variations covering compensation events were essential to meet the original scope of the project. This will be funded by ongoing management of the CRSTS programme, applying contingency funds and making wider programme management decisions as may be needed to meet the overall budget envelope, and regularly referring to committee as part of the regular reporting and budget management processes.

Alternative options considered

Alternative options to this variation were considered by the project team and the contractor when determining the appropriate course of action with regards to the individual compensation events. These alternative options were discounted for various reasons including not achieving the change necessary to enable delivery of contract scope. The variations needed to be dealt with fast because delaying approval would have risked interrupting works on site, delaying programme delivery, increasing costs and preventing the contractor from progressing to deliver the approved contract scope. The option of not approving the contract variations was considered, however this would have left works incomplete and unsafe conditions on site.