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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/17/selection-of-london-garden-bridge-designer-thames-unfair-boris-johnson
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| Selection of London garden bridge designer was 'unfair' | Selection of London garden bridge designer was 'unfair' |
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| The process to select a designer for London’s planned £175m garden bridge across the Thames was unfair and badly flawed, and the office of the mayor, Boris Johnson, was “less than honest” about his role in the process, according to a damning official report. | The process to select a designer for London’s planned £175m garden bridge across the Thames was unfair and badly flawed, and the office of the mayor, Boris Johnson, was “less than honest” about his role in the process, according to a damning official report. |
| Johnson and his team met five times with the successful bidder, Olympic cauldron designer Thomas Heatherwick, to discuss the idea before the official procurement process even began, the Greater London Authority’s oversight committee said. | |
| These included a meeting during an official trip by Johnson to San Francisco to raise funding for the project, the report said – something the mayor “attempted to conceal” and which only emerged through freedom of information requests. | These included a meeting during an official trip by Johnson to San Francisco to raise funding for the project, the report said – something the mayor “attempted to conceal” and which only emerged through freedom of information requests. |
| “What should be a great tourist attraction has been tainted by the dodgy design procurement process,” said Len Duvall, the Labour assembly member who chairs the committee. “Whether the garden bridge can overcome its controversial beginnings will remain to be seen.” | “What should be a great tourist attraction has been tainted by the dodgy design procurement process,” said Len Duvall, the Labour assembly member who chairs the committee. “Whether the garden bridge can overcome its controversial beginnings will remain to be seen.” |
| Related: Garden bridge: a project promoted and sold with half‑truths, deceptions and evasions | Related: Garden bridge: a project promoted and sold with half‑truths, deceptions and evasions |
| The report notes that the procurement was so seemingly unfair that Transport for London (TfL), which oversaw the process, should consider reimbursing the unsuccessful bidders for the time and expense they ran up preparing their plans. | The report notes that the procurement was so seemingly unfair that Transport for London (TfL), which oversaw the process, should consider reimbursing the unsuccessful bidders for the time and expense they ran up preparing their plans. |
| It said that so opaque was the bidding that the two rival designers who submitted bids did so for a pedestrian bridge, with only Heatherwick’s firm aware the project was for a garden bridge. | It said that so opaque was the bidding that the two rival designers who submitted bids did so for a pedestrian bridge, with only Heatherwick’s firm aware the project was for a garden bridge. |
| It said the office of the mayor should in future keep written records of all meetings the mayor holds with outside bodies. | It said the office of the mayor should in future keep written records of all meetings the mayor holds with outside bodies. |
| Preparatory work is due to begin soon on the proposed bridge, a 367-metre (400yd) structure from Temple on the north of the Thames to the South Bank, intended to be both a pedestrian crossing and a park, featuring 270 trees and thousands of plants. | Preparatory work is due to begin soon on the proposed bridge, a 367-metre (400yd) structure from Temple on the north of the Thames to the South Bank, intended to be both a pedestrian crossing and a park, featuring 270 trees and thousands of plants. |
| The plan has proved hugely controversial, especially the use of £60m in public money to part-finance the scheme, which will remain private land, closed overnight and for occasional corporate events, and subject to dozens of rules, enforced by “hosts”. The remainder of the money is being raised from donations. | The plan has proved hugely controversial, especially the use of £60m in public money to part-finance the scheme, which will remain private land, closed overnight and for occasional corporate events, and subject to dozens of rules, enforced by “hosts”. The remainder of the money is being raised from donations. |
| Critics also argue the bridge is unnecessary as a transport link in an area of central London already well served by Thames crossings. | Critics also argue the bridge is unnecessary as a transport link in an area of central London already well served by Thames crossings. |
| In parallel to this debate has run a series of revelations about the way Heatherwick Studios was selected to design the structure, many the result of dogged investigating by the Architects’ Journal. | In parallel to this debate has run a series of revelations about the way Heatherwick Studios was selected to design the structure, many the result of dogged investigating by the Architects’ Journal. |
| Last month the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Jane Duncan, said the process was sufficiently murky that the project should be stopped and scrutinised before more public money iwas spent. | Last month the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Jane Duncan, said the process was sufficiently murky that the project should be stopped and scrutinised before more public money iwas spent. |
| The GLA report was passed by the majority of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green members. In a minority report the three Conservative representatives argued that the main findings were overly hostile and should have instead focused more on the difficulties of procuring a project which evolved over time. | The GLA report was passed by the majority of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green members. In a minority report the three Conservative representatives argued that the main findings were overly hostile and should have instead focused more on the difficulties of procuring a project which evolved over time. |
| But in an introduction to the main report, Duvall said Johnson had provided access to one bidder, Heatherwick, ahead of the formal process, actions which “appear to have undermined the integrity of the contest”. Johnson had argued that it was just “coincidence” that he and Heatherwick were in San Francisco at the same time, Duvall said. | But in an introduction to the main report, Duvall said Johnson had provided access to one bidder, Heatherwick, ahead of the formal process, actions which “appear to have undermined the integrity of the contest”. Johnson had argued that it was just “coincidence” that he and Heatherwick were in San Francisco at the same time, Duvall said. |
| Overall, matters ended up quite possibly looking more dubious than they actually were “due to the secretive and defensive nature of various responses from TfL and the mayor”, he added. | Overall, matters ended up quite possibly looking more dubious than they actually were “due to the secretive and defensive nature of various responses from TfL and the mayor”, he added. |
| A spokesman for the mayor’s office said an audit of the TfL process found it was open and fair. He said: “The mayor believes the garden bridge will be a spectacular new addition to London, and building is due to begin this year on a project that is widely supported by Londoners and businesses on both sides of the river.” | |
| A spokeswoman for the Garden Bridge Trust, which is behind the project, said the organisation “understand the GLA oversight committee’s role in reviewing expenditure and processes”, but that this was separate to its work in delivering the bridge. |