CLAIMS that the council wasted thousands of pounds by insisting on putting up a wall in adverse weather conditions have been denied by officers.

Twickenham resident John Perry contacted the Richmond and Twickenham Times after noticing that the new wall built along the Embankment was crumbling.

He said: "A brand new wall has been put up on the Embankment in Twickenham from Dial House to York House Gardens.

"They put up this brand new wall in the middle of winter, which is not when you should put up a wall. All the pointing is flaking out.

"I spoke to some stonework specialists and they told me that now is not the time to put up brick walls. They warned the council about it but were told you must do it now because we've got to get it in our budget.

"English Heritage are going to come back in six months to see how extensive the damage is. At the moment they are mixing new mortar to put new bricks in along the wall and the weather forecast is for rain and snow. It's absolutely crazy.

"We walk our dogs along here and when I see it I think we have donkeys in charge. I'm aghast at the financial mess that this council and public servants get us into. There are thousands of pounds going down the pan."

But a council officer said that work on the wall began in early summer following advice from English Heritage.

A spokesman said: "The work commenced on site in early summer last year following detailed survey and inspection work.

"An initial enabling works contract was first carried out to find out the condition of the walls and reach agreement with English Heritage, who have been consulted at each stage of the works, concerning the selection of bricks and type of pointing. Following this the major part of the works was carried out last year in mild conditions.

"Some works left over from last year, necessary due to the need to do more works in certain areas than was originally envisaged at survey stage, are currently being completed on days when the correct weather conditions prevail and the works are being protected from the elements at cessation of the works.

"The required conditions for laying bricks and using soft mortars are specified and understood by the experienced contractor that has been selected for this important work and a log of the temperature is kept, so that work is not damaged by frost.

"In some areas where the walls were built some two months prior, a minor amount of mortar has been frosted in areas where frost collects in hollows in the ground and stays. This has been unavoidable and will be rectified by the contractor as a part of the contract works in the summer. It has not affected the stability or strength of the walls.''

January 31, 2003 10:01