For those interested, here is the chronology of events relating to Undercliff Drive.
| 1998 | John Spencer appointed as Purchasing Manager. |
| September / October 2000 | Stephen Matthews appointed as Head of Highways & Transportation. |
| 2001 | Nick Gallin appointed as Principal Highway Services Engineer. |
| 2 April 2001 | Landslip occurs at Undercliff Drive. |
| April 2001 | Sharpe Pritchard determined Initial Appointment Phase began. |
| September 2001 | Sharpe Pritchard determined Initial Appointment Phase ended. |
| November 2001 | Sharpe Pritchard determined Phase One Appointment began. |
| 2002 | Bob Streets appointed to post of Programme Lead for Compliance. |
| 1 April 2002 | Stephen Matthews appointed as Head of Engineering Services. |
| September 2002 | John Lawson joins Isle of Wight Council as Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer. |
| August 2003 | Derek Rowell joins Isle of Wight Council as Strategic Director for Environment Services. |
| September 2003 | Sharpe Pritchard determined Phase One Appointment ended. |
| 22 December 2003 | John Spencer circulates details of revision to EU procurement thresholds by email. |
| December 2003 | Stephen Matthews raised concerns with the procurement of the Undercliff Drive project with Bob Streets. |
| 6 January 2004 | Email from Bob Streets to Stephen Matthews confirming that an EU procurement process should be followed for Undercliff Drive and suggesting implementation of a framework agreement. |
| 12 January 2004 | Meeting between Stephen Matthews and Dr Alan Clark of HPR. |
| 14 January 2004 | Letter from Dr Alan Clark to Stephen Matthews setting out proposals for HPR’s continued involvement in the project and setting out why HPR consider themselves to be Best Value for the Council. |
| 26 January 2004 | Email from John Spencer to Bob Streets providing advice on procurement of Undercliff Drive. |
| 27 January 2004 | Memorandum from Bob Streets to Stephen Matthews (copy to John Lawson and John Spencer), advising that full EU procurement should be followed. |
| 4 March 2004 | Letter from Dr Alan Clark to Stephen Matthews attaching proposals for undertaking next stages of work on Undercliff Drive (follow up to letter of 14 January 2004). |
| 5 March 2004 | EU Procurement Meeting (Stephen Matthews, Bob Streets, John Spencer, Steve Boswell, Nick Gallin and Phil Hayward) |
| 6 March 2004 | Stephen Matthews meets with Dr Alan Clark and Jon Holliday of HPR and advises “that EU procurement rules generally apply however in view of HPR’s specialist role and depth in knowledge it was considered that IOWC will be recommending HPR to carry out the detailed design and procurement of the scheme.” |
| 14 April 2004 | Nick Gallin drafted a report to Directors Group putting forward reasons for the continued involvement of HPR and why a full EU procurement process need not be followed. |
| May 2004 | Matthew Bridger contacts Addleshaw Goddard regarding advice on procurement. |
| Summer 2004 (To date) | Sharpe Pritchard determined Phase Two Appointment began. |
| 14 June 2004 |
Email from Derek Rowell to Nick Gallin and Robin McInnes, (copy to Stephen Matthews, John Lawson and Matthew Bridger) requesting that documentation relating to Undercliff Drive project be sent to Matthew Bridger. Email from Derek Rowell to Stephen Matthews, (copy to John Lawson and Matthew Bridger) requesting that Stephen Matthews arrange for a service manager to investigate the procedurws followed for the award of the contract for geotechnical advice to HPR. |
| 7 Septmeber 2004 | Letter from Matthew Bridger to Andrew Finfer of Addleshaw Goddard formalising instructions for advice on procurement position. |
| 7 January 2005 | Email from Derek Rowell to Stephen Matthews (blind copy to Bob Streets and Paul Wilkinson) asking him to liaise with Bob Streets to rectify the procurement position. |
| 25 January 2005 | Email from Andrew Finfer of Addleshaw Goddard to Matthew Bridger enclosing advice on appointment of HPR. |
| 28 January 2005 | Matthew Bridger forwards Addleshaw Goddard advice to Nick Gallin, Stephen Matthews, John Lawson, Bob Streets, John Spencer and Derek Rowell. |
| 11 February 2005 |
Email from Derek Rowell to Stephen Matthews (copy to Matthew Bridger, John Lawson, Bob Streets) requesting that payments to HPR be suspended and that Stephen Matthews put forward recommendations on how to proceed in order to comply with EU Directives and Standing Orders. Email from Derek Rowell to John Lawson and Paul Wilkinson alerting them to the issues surrounding Undercliff Drive in their capacity as Monitoring Officer and s.151 Officer. |
| 14 February 2005 | Email from Matthew Bridger to John Lawson outlining outcomes of meeting regarding HPR and repeating discussion with Stephen Matthews who stated that “any contract which had potential to breach EU Procurement has almost certainly done so”. |
| 1 March 2005 | John Lawson discussed Undercliff Drive with Alistair Rankine at the Audit Commission. |
| 28 June 2005 | Email from Nick Gallin to Bob Streets confirming that there is no formal contract between the Council and HPR. |
| July 2005 | QP report on Isle of Wight Council procurement practice received. |
| 4 August 2005 | Report to Directors on Procurement Compliance. |
| 25 August 2005 | Email from Bob Streets to Mike Fisher attaching draft memorandum to Stephen Matthews regarding improvements to procurement practices. |
| 2 September 2005 | Email from Robin McInnes to Steve Boswell (copy to Stephen Matthews and Bob Streets) attaching details of a framework agreement prepared by Scarborough Borough Council. |
| 9 September 2005 | Memorandum from Mike Fisher to Stephen Matthews (copy to Derek Rowell) regarding Improvement to Procurement Practices. |
| 12 September 2005 | Meeting on appointment of consultants (Stephen Matthews, Bob Streets, John Spencer, Nick Gallin, Robin McInnes and others). |
| January 2006 | John Lawson appointed to post of acting Chief Executive Officer. |
| 27 April 2006 | Email from Derek Rowell to John Spencer (copy to Stephen Matthews, John Lawson, Robin McInnes and Bob Streets) chasing progress on implementation of a framework agreement and offering additional resource if required. |
| 28 April 2006 | Email from John Lawson to John Spencer offering assistance to progress framework agreement. |
| 8 May 2006 | Email from Derek Rowell to John Spencer requesting timescale for development of framework agreement. |
| 30 May 2006 | Email from Derek Rowell to John Spencer chasing progress on framework agreement. |
| June 2006 | John Lawson appointed to post of Director of Partnership, Policy and Performance and Deputy Chief Executive. |
| 1 June 2006 | Email from John Spencer to Derek Rowell (copy to Malcolm Smith and Laura Seward) confirming that he will progress framework agreement. |
| 7 June 2006 | Meeting on Consultancy Framework (John Spencer and Malcolm Smith). |
| 7 and 8 June 2006 | Nick Gallin and Stephen Matthews travel with HPR on a trip to a construction site at Lyme Regis to see and discuss comparisons with the Undercliff Drive project. |
| February 2007 | Report from Mark Heath, Monitoring Officer of Southampton City Council, received by the Isle of Wight Council. |
| 19 February 2007 | Paul Wilkinson, John Lawson and Derek Rowell suspended pending an investigation into Undercliff Drive. |
| February 2007 | Wragge & Co instructed to carry out investigation into Undercliff Drive. |
| 23 February 2007 | Stephen Matthews and Nick Gallin suspended pending an investigation into interference with the Undercliff Drive investigation. |
| 16 May 2007 | Bob Streets and John Spencer suspended as part of the investigation into Undercliff Drive. |
| June 2007 | Robin McInnes tendered his resignation. |
Source: Wragge & Co : Final Undercliff Drive Report: 29 November 2007]
