Council / Cullivoe road tendering process will have to start over after ‘anomalies’ identified
THE TENDERING process for the construction of a new Cullivoe road in Yell has hit a snag and will have to be carried out all over again, creating delays to the project.
Although a preferred bidder for the job was identified by Shetland Islands Council (SIC), it is understood that a query from one of the three tenderers during the “standstill” stage earlier this month led to a review of the procurement process.
This then prompted legal advice from SIC officers – with the decision then made that the current procurement process could not proceed due to “certain seriously compromising anomalies” being identified, it is understood.
Councillors were previously told last year that construction had been expected to begin in March 2025 but this is now due to be pushed back.
A spokesperson for the SIC said the local authority was unable to comment in any detail on the tendering process.
They did however say the council was “obviously disappointed” that the tendering process did not result in a contract being awarded.
The spokesperson added that the council is “working on a new procurement procedure, and a fresh contract notice will be issued as soon as possible”.
Meanwhile environment and transport chair councillor Moraig Lyall also said she was unable to comment on the details of the procurement process.
But she said it was “very disappointing” that the process has to be carried out again.
Lyall said the council could now be looking at a start date of early summer rather than March.
She said a new Cullivoe road was something she has been “pushing for, for the last two and half years since I got this job”.
A contract notice was first issued for the job in November last year, with the tender period concluding on 17 January.
The project, to construct a new road into Cullivoe in Yell, was last estimated to cost nearly £10 million.
It would see a new 6.8 metre two-lane road constructed between Gutcher and Cullivoe.
The project, which has the support of councillors, aims to address safety concerns on the existing single track road, and also support the local community and businesses – with the road an important link to the Cullivoe pier, where fish is landed.
The scheme is still listed as an unfunded project in the SIC’s asset investment plan ahead of the final business case being approved.
A planning application for the development remains under consideration.
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