Greater London Authority

Project Compass director gives keynote address at RIAI Conference 2018

Project Compass director Russell Curtis has given a keynote address at the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) Annual Conference where he discussed the challenges of public procurement in the UK and how Project Compass is campaigning for reform to improve the dire situation experienced by most architects bidding for work in the public…

Letter to Len Duvall, Chair – GLA Oversight Committee

Dear Len Duvall Re: Reporting oversight on the Garden Bridge Regarding the GLA Oversight Committee meeting of 11 October 2017 on the Garden Bridge we are writing to ask your committee to consider moving to clarify a relevant issue that is raised. This relates to how design propositions that benefit the public estate can be…

Call for ‘bottom up’ enablement by regulatory clarity

Following investigations into London’s Garden Bridge nineteen architects have written to the Chair of the GLA Oversight Committee, calling for better ‘bottom up’ enablement of public services through regulatory clarity. “There is now little motivation for design professionals to initiate and nurture projects from inception as almost invariably the original designers will be preclude as the…

Public Interest Challenge & Garden Bridge

Public Interest Challenge & Garden Bridge Oversight. Transcribed below is a letter submitted by Project Compass to the GLA Oversight Committee calling upon them to consider better regulatory policing by means of a Public Interest Challenge for framework procurements, in specified circumstances. “Dear Len Duvall, Further to the recent GLA Oversight Committee mtg. of 11…

Project Compass CIC Director appointed to Mayor’s Design Advocate panel

One of the founding directors of Project Compass CIC has been appointed to the Mayor of London’s Design Advocate Panel, it was announced on Monday. In his foreword to the publication the Mayor made a commitment to promoting better procurement of design services, as well as holding design competitions for some GLA projects. The foreword…

Good riddance to the Garden Bridge

Good riddance to the Garden Bridge: an eye-watering waste of public funds Walter Menteth article originally published 11 May, 2017 in     With one swift blow, London Mayor Sadiq Khan confounded plans to construct a leafy walkway above the River Thames. By refusing to guarantee further public funds, the mayor leaves the Garden Bridge project with…

Flying by the seat of their pants

  (Walter Menteth article originally published September 13, 2016 on LinkedIn Pulse) There have been significant recent revelations about the Thames Garden Bridge in London and the Garden Bridge Trusts structure and funding. These reveal the Trusts near exclusive reliance on public funding, which reputedly amounts to £30m from Transport for London, £30m from central government, along…

Muddy Waters “Jobs for the boys”

London’s proposed Thames Garden Bridge Walter Menteth article originally appeared in January 31, 2016 on LinkedIn Pulse) From all that is now known about the Thames Garden Bridge it has become increasingly apparent that this project represents a turning point.  Its entire procurement is characterised by corruption that is tainted by nepotism and collusion. Boris…