‘Flaws’ in CCI CCTV process

The PSNI and Derry City Council were asked by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) to investigate whether “a proper public procurement process” was followed when the City Centre Initiative (CCI) tried to re-tender its CCTV contract last year.

The Sentinel has learned that the investigation - which resulted in the proposed relocation being stopped - has been completed and that the NIAO are now in possession of a Derry City Council report containing a number of recommendations.

The PSNI said: “The investigation did find some flaws in the initial procurement process. The recommendations will seek to take CCTV in the City forward after ensuring any appropriate lessons have been learned.”

The investigation followed complaints from current CCTV operator Ulster Support Employment Ltd (USEL) - who alongside another company, Wired Up Solutions, raised questions about the tender process in the Spring of 2011. Both had complained of being excluded from the tender process.

According to new documents obtained by the Sentinel through the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act staff and cameras at the current CCTV monitoring station were at the point of being transferred to a new operator in July 2011.

A memo by USEL Chief executive Sam Humphries on July 15, 2011 stated: “I write to you to today to inform you that the transfer of the monitoring contract from CCI to BHP alarms has been stopped.

“This means that USEL continues to be contracted to deliver the CCI monitoring service for the Londonderry city centre for the forseeable future.

“We understand that CCI are reviewing the future requirements for the service and we fully expect in the future to see another tender situation. One which I hope to review and if appropriate submit a tender response.”

This came in the wake of a letter sent from the NIAO to Derry City Council Acting Town Clerk, John Meehan, on June 23, which stated that the office had been contacted “in connection with the award of a contract for the control and monitoring of CCTV cameras by CCI.” The NIAO advised DCC that an unnamed third party was “making serious allegations.”

The plug was subsequently pulled on the tender process and Derry City Council and the PSNI - co-funders of the operation - were asked to investigate whether a “proper public procurement process” was followed.

The Sentinel can now reveal that these investigations have been concluded and the paper understands a copy of the report with its recommendations has been forwarded to the NIAO.

A spokesperson for Derry City Council had old the Sentinel: “Derry City Council, in conjunction with other Funders, are currently reviewing recommendations in relation to the procurement of CCTV provision within the city.”

And the PSNI told the paper: “In July 2011 PSNI and Derry City Council received correspondence from the NIAO in connection with a CCTV procurement process in Londonderry. An investigation was conducted led by Derry City Council.

“This resulted in a number of recommendations, which will be taken forward by Council, the PSNI and CCI.”

The Sentinel asked CCI, BHP, USEL and Wired Up for their views on the stalled tender.

Cormac Hopkins of Wired Up said he looked forward to reading the recommendations when they were made publicly available.