The Oakford Fire Station saga continues.
Last December, it seemed the project was back on track after a very expensive mistake.
Earlier in the year, officers had put out for tender a pimped-up version of the project’s concept design that was dangerously outside the scope of what council had passed.
It was picked up before any deals were struck. But the flow-on delay caused costs to balloon above the original budget.
By December, when council was finally able to approve a contractor, capital expenditure on the project had increased by $535,000.
But at last month’s council meeting, four months after council finally awarded the tender (valued at $2,451,079) to Cloudbreak (WA) Pty Ltd for the design and construction of the much-needed and long-awaited fire station, the contract remained unsigned.
“We would like nothing more than for the contract to be signed,” Shire CEO Paul Martin said at the April 14 council meeting, when the matter came back to council to discuss a variation to the tender.
Unfortunately, the exact reason for the further excruciating delay remains hidden behind a veil, with the matter treated as confidential and taken behind closed doors.
But from the resolution, which was passed unanimously, and from a motion brought to the Annual General Electors’ Meeting in March, it’s fairly evident that money underscored the drama.
“Even after council approved a contractor in December last year, the contract remains unsigned. And costs have now increased by approximately 30 percent,” Justin Warren said at the electors’ meeting.
“This isn’t just a project delay; this is a failure that places both our volunteers and community at risk. It is time for the shire to take accountability.”
Thirty percent of the contract (not the entire project budget which in December was just shy of $3.2 million) equates to a blowout of over $700,000.
We asked the shire if they could verify whether the cost of the project had really increased by a further 30 percent, but were told by Shire President Rob Coales:
“The Shire is committed to the delivery of the Oakford Fire Station and is working hard to deliver this long-awaited project to support the great work our bushfire volunteers provide.
“As negotiations are still ongoing with the successful tenderer in accordance with the Council Resolution of the Confidential item considered at the 14 April 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting, no further information is available at this time.
“A report will be presented to Council on completion of the detailed design phase detailing the final funding arrangements and cost to the Shire.”
But it’s clear the blowout is significant enough to warrant its own bullet point in the council resolution: “[That council] accepts that a significant portion of the cost increases are attributable to the passage of time, and these are reasonable under the circumstances, and still represents the best value for money, and the most advantageous outcome”.
For the second time, council agreed to wear the costs of the delays.
And, in an effort to move things along, the council resolution introduced “an indicative delivery timeframe” with the final cost and contract negotiation to be completed by Friday (May 2), the execution of the contract by May 27, and for construction to be complete by December next year.
