Delayed beach hut project facing £200k overspend

The delayed beach huts project faced an estimated £200,000 overspend after the original contractor went bust

Plans to build 43 beach huts in a Norfolk town have hit delays and could incur an estimated £200,000 overspend.

Opposition Labour councillors claimed Great Yarmouth Borough Council mismanaged the contract, in which a supplier went bust.

The project was due to have been completed in late summer 2023, but now construction will not begin until this autumn.

The Conservative-led council said it was disappointed by the delays and overspend.

Labour group leader Trevor Wainwright said the Conservative-led council "took its eye off the ball" over the contract

Labour group leader Trevor Wainwright said the total project would now cost an estimated £720,000.

Originally, it had a budget of £525,000, which meant the cost of each hut had risen by more than £4,000.

He said: "Quite clearly something has gone drastically wrong.

"It's taxpayers' money at the end of the day and quite clearly the Conservatives are in control of the council and this situation has been allowed to happen.

"To spend virtually half a million pounds and without one beach hut being erected, something has gone seriously wrong, and someone has taken their eye off the ball."

Sandie Menezes, from The Beach Hut Cafe, said traders have lost potential increase in business because of the delays.

The beach huts were intended to regenerate the north promenade, which is outside the main Golden Mile of the central beach.

Sandie Menezes, who jointly owns The Beach Hut Café on North Drive, said she and other businesses have missed out on potential trade due to the delays.

"We were looking forward to doing takeaway business all year round where people can sit [in their huts] looking out at the views and hoping that would bring us some extra revenue.

"So [we have] another summer missed - another summer where the businesses need regeneration.

"Someone should be held accountable for where the funds have gone."

She added: "I don't have any sympathy because these things should be looked into and written into any contracts so you can't just give money to someone and if they go bust, say 'never mind' and spend more of the taxpayers' money."

Conservative council leader Carl Smith said despite the overspend and delays, the beach huts would be an asset to town and revenue source to the authority

Council leader, Carl Smith said he was disappointed by the delays and overspend, but said it was unavoidable with the original contractor going into liquidation and the impact of inflation on materials costs.

"These are going to be a real asset to Great Yarmouth sea front," he said.

"These will be rented out and are going to bring in an important revenue for the borough because our finances, like all councils, need help.

"This is not going to cost the council money. This will help us balance the books and we will get our money back within a few years of the build."