Diana meets Leader of City of York Council

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th Oct 2009

Diana Wallis MEP met the Leader of City of York Council, Andrew Waller, on a self-funded visit to the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday. They met with representatives of the UK Government responsible for putting together the response to the European Commission on a case about UK public procurement law in which in which the Derwenthorpe development has become entangled.

The purpose of the visit was to check that all the information that needed to be supplied by City of York Council had been received and that the UK Government was progressing a 'Guidance Note' to all local authorities in the UK about how to upgrade British public procurement regulations.

Councillor Waller said:

"There is a deadline for the submission of the information of 25 October 2009 and I wanted the Commission and UK Government to be aware that York was actively participating in resolution of this issue so that we can get on and provide much needed construction jobs, and family housing in the city.

"I will be contacting Ministers, and City of York MP Hugh Bayley to help with getting any paperwork through the central government process in time for the Commission's deadline. Our lawyers have been working very hard to progress this case which is at the cutting edge of procurement law, and I believe that we have demonstrated that York has made all of the changes that we need to do for the Commission."

Diana Wallis MEP said

"I am frustrated that the City of York has been caught up like piggy in the middle of what is fundamentally a row between the Government and the European Commission over the Government's delay in implementing properly public procurement law throughout the country.

"I cannot imagine in the current economic climate that neither Government nor the European Commission would wish to see York residents pick up a bill for over £3 million for breach of contract if the Derwenthorpe development is jeopardised. The current York City administration has inherited this nightmare and has clearly done, and is willing to do, its utmost to comply with any European requirements.

"What is equally irritating is that the Council has to rely on the Government relaying communication back and forth and doing the right thing. The City of York is not a party to the procedure but will feel the effects for better or worse.

"I will certainly keep up the pressure on the Government to fulfil its obligations and produce its response before the deadline".

The European Commission issued a Reasoned Opinion to the UK in June 2009 (the first formal step in legal proceedings against the UK government for failure to implement EU law) and the deadline for reply is 25 October 2009