The outsourcing company AMEY plc has been taken over by a pair of holding companies including Buckthorn Partners – who appointed former Conservative Chancellor Phillip Hammond to a leading role in 2020.
AMEY – who won a 23-year ‘super-contract’ signed by Trafford Conservatives in 2015 – are responsible for road repairs, bin collections and the maintenance of parks and green spaces across the borough.
Liberal Democrat representative for Timperley Village councillor Shaun Ennis said, “Phillip Hammond and his new colleagues clearly see something in AMEY that we as residents aren’t seeing. It can’t be their ability to fix roads.”
Last year, AMEY plc recorded profits of £92 million, but the company drew anger from workers who were offered below-inflation pay rises while bosses celebrated bonuses.
Trafford council’s contract with AMEY has been heavily criticised by Liberal Democrat councillors over the years.
Councillor Ennis said, “If you have to outsource essential local services like bin collections and pothole repairs, something is very wrong to begin with. Signing the contract shows the Conservatives had no handle on the basics of running the council. And giving AMEY such an eye-wateringly long contract is absolutely unforgiveable.”
“The ruling Labour Group have now decided to stick with AMEY but people are fed up with a council that cannot get the basics right under either party. The Liberal Democrats want to see our contractors held to account. If they aren’t doing the job we pay them to do, we should be issuing fines.”