SIR — I refer to your report in last week's Free Press in connection with the conduct, procurement, management and completion of the construction project which produced the West Somerset Council's centralised offices in Williton.

I am writing this letter on behalf of Phil Gannon and Gordon Tizzard - we all appreciated the invitation to be co-opted members of the working group which was chaired by Cllr Tim Taylor.

Since October 2009 when Cllr Hugh Davies called in the cabinet report to approve the final account settlement with Mansell, as proposed by the Council's Employer's Agent, Cyril Sweett Ltd, it became increasingly apparent that a thorough interrogation of the computation of the final account sum would not take place.

Indeed, Cyril Sweett had by this time already informed Mansell that the council had agreed to pay the contractor.

I would like to point out that although we were members of the working group, we were not party to any of the recommendations which were subsequently put forward by the group.

However, we fully endorse the recommendations which have been put forward. If any benefit is to accrue to the council and by inference the local populace, then these recommendations must be properly implemented with the clarity of purpose which quality control procedures demand.

A structural quality assurance manual embracing all officers, personnel, councillors and all services/functions of the council, ie not limited solely to the management of construction projects, would be of huge benefit to all.

This is neither the time nor the place to dwell on financial issues but three matters of varying importance spring to mind:-

(a) Council officers were not aware of their delegated authority and would thus not have been aware if they had breached financial regulations;

(b) The final account sum to be paid to Mansell is arithmetically incorrect and contains several unsubstantiated sums;

(c) Cyril Sweett have been paid in excess of the £161,100 which has been approved.

There remains, however, one big issue which remains unanswered: who waived the council's entitlement to levy the full amount of damages against Mansell for their late completion of the various phases of the project?

The council has effectively written off some £67,500 to which they were entitled. This has been highlighted at previous council meetings, informal meetings with Cyril Sweett and council officers, and at the meeting of the working group.

Since no council employee appears to have taken this decision, one can only infer that the leader of the council took it upon himself to make that decision.

To conclude, if the council does implement thorough reporting procedures to enable it to properly monitor construction projects and other council services, then all will not have been lost.

Roger House,

Lime Close,

Minehead.